Rollercoaster Ride
by MissShawnaAlice
Summary: One brother and sister duo could change their lives in more ways than one, starting a rollercoaster ride of emotional events. Can the BAU team survive this and more? May contain torture, maniacs, recovery, suicide, injury, real whump, psycho whump and more. No slash (that I'm aware of)
1. Taken

**ROLLERCOASTER RIDE**

**A/N - So this is my first time writing for a show that isn't Australian and I'm just a little nervous (I'm freaking out man!) However, I did have this idea just appear in my head, and now it's bothering myself and Alice (my muse) so we started this. **

**I've no idea where it will end up.**

**Or how well it will go.**

**Only time will tell.**

**MissShawnaAlice xx.**

**WARNING: Will contain generally graphic scenes, graphic torture scenes (where applicable) and may contain traces of nuts. Don't say I didn't warn you.**

* * *

**Chapter One - Taken:**

Derek looked over at the young doctor sharing his hotel room, and noted for the third time how pale and wan he looked. This was one of the harshest cases they'd worked on; the UnSub liked males around Reid's age, and after he was through torturing them to within an inch of their lives, he buried them inside a coffin, dead or alive. Then he wrote a letter to the victims family, telling them where they could find the coffin.

_By then it was usually too late._

It had obviously hit Reid harder than he was letting on, and Derek could tell by the troubling amount of sleep he was getting, and the fact that Reid looked like he was losing weight. The team had received a tip-off as to where to find the UnSub, and they'd left almost immediately to apprehend the criminal. Derek had opted to stay back at the hotel with Spencer as a guard, and allow the young man to at least try and sleep. Derek's phone trilled on his bedside table, and he scooped it up, answering it quickly so he could silence the noise before it woke the sleeping boy.

"Morgan," he answered quietly.

"It's JJ. We got the UnSub," she announced.

"Thank God. What happened?" He asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"We'll walk you through it on the jet home. It's a bit of a story. Wheels up in thirty, we'll be back in ten to pick you two up," she replied. Derek could hear Spencer tossing and turning on the bed, and he sighed.

"Alright, we'll see you soon," he responded before hanging up. He hated doing this to Reid, but he had to wake him up.

"Reid," said Derek quietly, hoping that would be all it took. Unfortunately not, as Reid started whimpering in his sleep, a nightmare taking hold.

"Come on Reid, wake up," said Derek firmly. Reid's closed fist shot out from under the covers and connected with Morgan's jaw; he was hellbent on defending himself from an invisible foe. Derek fell back a little, and swore under his breath.

"God Reid, where did you learn to punch like that?" Muttered Morgan, massaging his injured jaw.

"Hotch," replied Reid sleepily.

"Oh. You're awake. That must have been one hell of a nightmare," said Morgan.

"I was with Tobias," whispered Reid, sitting up and pulling the blankets around him. Morgan sat down next to him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Asked Morgan. Reid shook his head, and Morgan could almost feel the fear and terror rolling off the agent.

"No." His answer was simple. Derek shrugged his shoulders.

"Alright. I'm going to have a quick shower, and then we're out of here. It's all over; Liam's in custody." Reid nodded, and Morgan ducked into the bathroom. Something was up with Reid, and he couldn't place it. He resolved to look out more for the youngest agent; well, more than he had been.

Six minutes later, Morgan finished his shower, feeling refreshed, his jaw aching a little less than it had earlier. He walked out from the bathroom in nothing but a towel; he'd forgotten to bring his clothes into the tiny hotel bathroom.

"Lucky you don't have a lot of strength Pretty Boy, otherwise we'd have to explain to Hotch how you managed to break my jaw," commented Morgan. There was no response from the other side of the room, and Derek turned around.

"Don't tell me you've fal..." His voice trailed off as he realised Reid wasn't there. He turned around, taking in the room, and realised someone else had been in there with them. Signs of a serious struggled were evident; Reid's bed looked like it was marked with blood. In the centre of the tangled sheets was a note, and Morgan glanced at it, his heart pounding in his chest.

_'You Lose. L.' _

Morgan pulled out his phone just as it started ringing. Startled, he answered it.

"Morgan."

"It's Emily. Liam escaped cust..." Morgan cut her off.

"I know," he said, pulling on whatever clothes he could reach whilst still talking to Emily.

"How do you kn..."

"He's taken Reid." Morgan heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end, and then a fumbling noise; Emily must have put him on speaker phone.

"Are you sure?" Asked Emily.

"I'm damn positive. He left a note. He's taken Spencer. We need to get him back!" Exclaimed Morgan.

"Calm down. We're on our way to you now, alright?" Said Hotch. Derek took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

"How far away...?"

"Two minutes. Tops. We'll get Reid back, okay?" Assured Emily.

"We have to," replied Derek. He finished dressing and hung up on Emily, and then moved to stand outside the hotel room. Two and a half minutes later, the rest of the BAU team arrived to find Derek pacing outside the door.

"Derek, tell me exactly what happened," said Rossi calmly. Emily, JJ and Hotch disappeared into the shared room, wanting to see for themselves that Spencer was indeed missing.

"He had a nightmare, I woke him up just after JJ called, and then I went into the shower. Six minutes, and when I come out, he's gone. I didn't even hear the bastard come in!" Exclaimed Morgan angrily.

"It's okay. We'll find him," assured Rossi.

"I know, but how much damage will be done before we do? He's still having nightmares about Tobias; this could be the one thing that breaks him," said Morgan desperately.

"Or it could be the one thing that makes him stronger. Look at everything he's gone through so far in his life, and tell me who could possibly be stronger than Reid?" Asked Rossi. Morgan felt his shoulders slump.

"No-one. He's the strongest person I know," he said softly.

"I know, and we're the best possible chance he has to get out of this. I promise, we'll find him," said Rossi easily. The rest of the BAU team joined them outside.

"Rossi, you and Prentiss head to Liam's house. JJ, take Morgan with you, and interview the cop that lost Liam. We might have a link there. I'm going to call Garcia, make sure she hasn't pulled surveillance yet," said Hotch. He watched as his team split into pairs, and wondered if Reid would really be okay.

_He had to be, didn't he?_

Aaron pulled out his phone, and regrettably dialed the number for a technical analyst that would be infinitely pissed that Reid was missing.

"Goddess of all things," answered Penelope, her smile evident in her voice. Aaron hated to be the one that took that away from her.

"Garcia, it's me. Have you stopped surveillance on Liam yet?" He asked.

"No. Not yet. Why?" Asked Garcia.

"Keep me posted on any changes okay?" Ordered Hotchner.

"What's going on?" Asked Garcia, fear making hear voice tremble. Aaron sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Garcia, we lost Reid."

* * *

Spencer awoke in a very dark room, and before he could control it, let out a small whine.

_He hated the dark._

His head felt fuzzy, his mouth dry, his senses confused as to what was going on. A bright overhead light flicked on, and he winced as his eyes struggled to adjust. He was strapped to a chair, and it freaked him out to think he was in the same position again, one that was so reminiscent of his experience with Tobias.

"Hello?" He called raspily, finally making his lips work. He squinted, looking to see if he could see anyone with him.

No answer.

He sighed. Yet again the impeccable young genius had been kidnapped right under the noses of his own team, and he hated how vulnerable that made him feel. He resolved, after a few moments, that when he got out, he'd look into those self-defence classes that Hotch kept insisting he should go to. Anything to not end up in a situation like this again. He struggled to try and free his hands, but the ropes binding him to the chair were tied too tightly. He felt his breath catch in his throat as a door on the far side of the room opened then closed again.

"Hello? Anyone?" Called Reid, his voice sounding stronger.

Still no answer.

It was a standard interrogation and interview trick. Open the door, make it seem like someone is coming, then close it again; it gave him false hope. Hope that someone was coming.

He heard footsteps behind him, and he tried to swivel his head around to see who it was. He heard liquid sloshing around in a container, and warm hands untied his wrists. He flailed out for a moment, and heard a masculine grunt as he made contact with flesh. He was quickly blindfolded, then his arms stretched out on the arms of the chair. They were strapped down tight, and though Reid wanted to be strong, he could feel himself trembling in fear, his heart racing.

_All he wanted right now was someone to save him._

He could distinguish two sets of footsteps; heavier ones that he assumed were masculine, and lighter, easier steps that he thought were perhaps feminine. The liquid sound moved from behind him to in front of him, and a plastic sheet was laid over his lap. Next thing he knew, the liquid was poured over his arms, and he felt the tendrils of pain start to pull at him.

Acid.

They were using acid to try and break him.

He could feel himself panicking and he desperately wanted to scream, but he knew he couldn't do it for long.

He knew this wasn't going to be easy.

_Question was, could he survive torture a second time around?_

* * *

**I will write more, just getting a feel for how everyone feels.**

**I've watched a lot of Criminal Minds, but I am not totally up to date on what's going on (sometimes being in Australia isn't as cool as you think it is!) so I apologise if I say something that doesn't quite fit the reality. I don't know what season this would correlate to, but I can tell you this - no Elle, no Gideon, standard team, no Alex or Seaver, and I don't like Kevin, so he's been written. Henry has been born; he's about two (maybe three).**

**Any other questions, ask away!**

**~MissShawnaAlice~**


	2. Torture Games

**A/N – I do promise that after this update, they will be longer. Cross my heart.**

* * *

**Chapter Two – Torture Games**

He'd fallen asleep, the pain having settled to an almost reasonable level. His arms ached, the skin peeled off in several places, and most wounds were weeping clear fluid and blood.

_He had to survive._

A loud crash awoke him from his slumber, and he sat up, startled. He hissed in pain as the flesh on his arms shifted, and he slowed down his movements. He felt his eyelids growing heavy, and his head tilted back. His torpor was interrupted again as heavy metal music was played through a speaker system, the volume distorting the sound.

_Sleep deprivation._

He sat up, battling the fatigue in his body, and desperately tried to stay awake. He knew that Morgan, Hotch, Rossi, Prentiss, JJ and Garcia would be looking for him.

_He just had to hold on._

* * *

"His house is deserted, bank accounts emptied, phone switched off. He's fallen off the grid," said Garcia on the webcam.

"How can he fall off the grid like that?" Demanded Morgan. Garcia flinched.

"Don't get angry with me. This is not my fault! You were the one supposed to be guarding him!" Exclaimed Garcia.

"Penelope, settle down. Morgan, take a break," said Rossi, intervening. Morgan stormed away, and Garcia dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

"What do we have on Liam?" Asked Emily, opening the file again. JJ answered this time.

"Born in Corpus Cristi, Texas in 1984. Moved to Arkansas in 1989 as his father changed jobs. Mother left after the birth of Liam's sister Noah in 1990, and was killed in 1993 in a car accident. They've moved to a lot of places after that, but his last known address was here in Illinois. He lost his job as a doctor six months ago when he was found negligent, and his practicing licence was suspended," said JJ.

"So there's the stressor, same as before. What happened after that?" Asked Hotch.

"His sister moved here from Montclair VA, left her job as a nurse at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Centre to come and live with him. They were estranged for a long time though; their technological histories show that they didn't contact each other from 1998 until a year ago. That's nearly fourteen years of no contact, and then they're living in each other's shoes? There's something hinky going on there," said Garcia.

"Look into the sister for us? She didn't come up in our earlier investigation; we actually thought he was an only child. Maybe she's a connection we can use to get to Liam," said Rossi.

"On it. You've got to find him," said Garcia, her usual perkiness gone.

"We will Garcia." Penelope logged off, and Emily glanced up.

"Where do we go from here?" She asked Hotch. He sighed.

"Talk to locals; see if we can find out anything more about Liam, or even better, his sister Noah. JJ, can you call Virginia Medical Centre, find out if she transferred or just left?" JJ nodded and pulled out her phone, walking away from the group. Rossi headed out to Morgan, and Emily stayed to read through the profile again.

_Time was running out; they had to find Reid._

* * *

The bright light went out again, and Reid was pitched into darkness. He tensed, the fear of the dark still just as real for him. He heard footsteps again.

"Hello?" He called. He knew it was pointless though; no-one had answered yet. The blinding light flicked on, and Reid felt like his head would explode. There was rustling behind him, and he twisted his head, still trying to see. Someone laughed; more of a girlish giggle if anything.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"I've already got what I want," answered a male voice.

"Liam?" For his question, Spencer received a blow to the back of his head, and stars appeared in front of his eyes. The lights in the entire room flicked on, and Reid could finally see. He was centre stage, strapped to a chair, unable to move. The only other occupant he could see in the room was a heavily pregnant woman, around twenty-three years old. She was placed in the corner, observing. Reid finally took a moment and looked down at his arms; they were pink and glistening, and as he looked at them, he felt a bubble of panic rise in his throat. The pain was getting to beyond manageable, and the blow to the leg by a crowbar didn't help. He tried to stay quiet, but by the fourth blow, he was openly screaming.

The attack stopped after twelve blows, and Reid let his head hang, panting heavily. He couldn't even think straight enough to diagnose himself.

All he knew is that the pain was excruciating.

After a few moments respite, Reid felt his restraints being pulled off, and he thought about fighting back.

_He would wish he had._

His arms were raised above his head, and his hands secured on a length of chain; he was hanging like a piece of meat in a butchers. His feet barely touched the floor, and he could feel the injured skin on his arms tugging painfully. He glanced over at the young woman in the corner, and she didn't even flinch. He heard something being removed from a box, and then a lash across his back.

And another lash.

And another.

Reid screamed throughout the process, up until his throat felt raw and bloody, and he couldn't speak. He knew he was in serious trouble, and hoped that he would be found sooner rather than later.

_He didn't know how long he could hold out._

When Liam had finished, Reid could hear him putting away his torturous tools; he sounded meticulous.

"Why?" Asked Reid. Liam didn't answer; he just delivered a swift kick to Spencer's groin. The pain was enough to make him pass out. It wasn't for long though; Liam tossed a bucket of water over Reid's face, bringing him back to the horrific reality.

_Morgan._

_Save me._


	3. No Remorse

**Chapter Three - No Remorse**

Reid wanted to die.

His whole body ached, and he regretted the fact that the young woman in the corner had to witness his beating. Liam released Spencer, letting his bruised body hit the floor, before dragging him to a dingy mattress. The bed frame looked like it was barely stable enough to hold the mattress, let alone Spencer. Liam shoved him onto the bed, then bound him to the frame. Spencer moaned as the pain shot through him, and fell silent when Liam slapped him again. He watched as Liam turned heel and stormed out of the room, leaving Reid to stare blankly across the room.

"How did he get you?" Came a quiet voice. Spencer jerked in surprise, forgetting that the girl was still there.

"Pardon?"

"How did he manage to get you here?" She asked.

"He came through the door of my hotel when my roommate was in the bathroom. I had just woken up, and I didn't move fast enough. Next thing I remember is being here. How did he catch you?" Asked Spencer, feeling his throat sting as he spoke.

"I don't remember," she replied vaguely.

"When are you due?" Asked Spencer, indicating to the young woman's abdomen.

"I... I don't know. It's been so long," she whispered. Reid tilted his head more so he could see her.

"I'd guess, seven, maybe eight months?" He surmised.

"What's your name?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Spencer. Spencer Reid," he replied, his eyes closing. The loud music blared through the speakers again, and the girl laughed as Spencer flinched, his eyes snapping open.

"My name's Julie. You're not a fan of Ex Curia, are you," she commented. The music was shut off.

"Who?" Asked Spencer, his head pounding.

"Prog metal band; Ex Curia. That's who they keep playing over the speaker system," said Julie. The door opened again, and a tray of food and a bottle of water was placed in front of Julie. Liam caressed her head, then left, leaving nothing for Spencer.

"Have you tried escaping?" Asked Spencer. Julie shook her head.

"Not really," she answered after a moment's thought.

"Why not? You're not cuffed; you could escape!" Exclaimed Spencer. Julie shrugged and started to eat the food set in front of her. Liam returned.

"You need to stop talking!" He growled at Spencer. He pulled out a roll of duct tape, and sealed Spencer's lips, before removing Julie from the room. The music was turned up, and Spencer was left alone. He shivered, wishing he could curl up in the fetal position.

_He was afraid._

_And alone._

_Afraid and alone in the dark._

* * *

The team were at the precinct, pooling ideas. After an hour, Morgan had finally had enough, and stormed out, slamming doors. Prentiss rested her head on her arms for a moments rest, Hotch looked exhausted, and Dave was scribbling notes in his notebook. JJ glanced around and stood up, closing her file. Hotch looked up to her.

"I'll go out to him," said JJ softly. Hotch nodded, and JJ left the building. She found him sitting on a bench in a park just down the road.

"Morgan? You okay?" Asked JJ, joining him.

"It's been twelve hours, and we're no closer to finding him," said Morgan quietly. His fists were clenched, jaw tight, and all of a sudden, JJ realised what was running through Morgan's head.

"You feel responsible," she said, turning to face him.

"Of course I do! I was the one watching him; I could have waited to have a shower when you guys came back. I should have been watching Jayje; I can't believe I let him out of my sight," said Morgan brokenly. JJ sighed, and laid a hand on Morgan's arm.

"Now you understand how I felt when Tobias took Spence. I knew it was my fault; I should have stayed with him. We should have stuck together as a team, and we didn't. I know exactly how you feel Morgan. We'll get him back. Reid's stronger than we realise, and with Garcia on his trail, you know we'll find him. You need to stay positive, and don't let it get you down," said JJ. She took Morgan's hand in hers, and gave it a squeeze.

"You're right. Thanks Jayje." They stood up and walked back to the precinct to find the place in complete chaotic disarray.

"Hotch? Hotch, what's going on?" Asked Morgan. Hotch holstered his gun and grabbed the keys to the SUV.

"We've had an anonymous tip off."

* * *

Four hours later, an exhausted BAU team returned to the precinct; it was all a hoax. They'd driven out to the middle of nowhere, found nothing, and driven back.

"I don't understand; no-one's seen him, no-one's heard from him. How do we know Reid's even alive?" Asked Morgan.

"I've said it before Morgan; until we have a body in front of us that has been confirmed as dead, I'm not giving up. We'll find him," assured Hotch. He opened the office door first, and found his laptop open in the centre of the conference table, Garcia's face waiting for them.

"We have an email with a video attachment. I can't find Strauss to ask her permission to open it. Can I?" Asked Garcia.

"Go for it Garcia," said Aaron. Garcia opened the file, and clicked open the video file. It showed Reid hanging from the ceiling by his arms, his shoulders in serious danger of dislocating. His back was amass with wounds, still fresh and bleeding, and as the camera panned to his arms, the team could see his flesh peeling away. JJ grabbed a nearby wastebasket, throwing up into it. Emily rubbed her back, trying to soothe her and calm her down. Garcia was in hysterics in the background, and once the video had stopped playing, Morgan called her to try and calm her down. Aaron and David glanced at each other, and Aaron's shoulders sank.

_He couldn't lose Reid._

_None of them could._

"Garcia? Garcia, can you trace the video for me?" ASked Aaron. Garcia stopped sobbing, and turned back to face the screen. Morgan hung up and sat down in front of the laptop.

"I can try, but no guarantees," said Garcia, hiccuping. Aaron nodded briefly.

"Go for it Garcia."

* * *

Reid awoke to the sound of singed flesh, and let out a muffled yelp as he realised Liam was burning him on his back with a crudely designed cattle prod. Spencer twisted, trying to pull away from the red-hot metal, but didn't succeed. It only added to the pain from the open lashes on his back, and he wished he could scream with the agony it was causing him.

_Genius Freak._

The words forever etched into his skin; as if he needed a reminder that he was in a very small percentile of the world. Liam pushed down harder, determined to make the words stick, but was stopped as Julie came running into the room.

"Stop! You'll kill him!" She shouted.

"It didn't last ti..." Liam started. Julie cut him off.

"It may not have, but he can't die yet. I want him to see his baby born first." Reid's eyes shot up to her, and Liam pulled away the prod.

"Go make me a tea," ordered Julie. Reid watched as the dynamic between the two changed, with Julie becoming the dominant and Liam become the submissive. It was interesting to watch, and Spencer was curious to see how this arrangement had come to be. Julie took a seat in front of him, and rested a hand on her swollen abdomen.

"You don't remember me, do you Spencer," she said quietly. Spencer shook his head.

"My name's not Julie. It's Noah Riley." Spencer's eyes widened.

_Liam's sister._

"You may not remember us meeting Spencer Reid, but I do. I was smitten from the first day you were brought into my emergency room at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Centre; I think it was the day Aaron brought you in. You were having nightmares, barely sleeping, and you'd fallen down the stairs. I looked after you for two nights, swapping shifts so I could stay with you. I held your hand through three nightmares, made sure you knew you were okay. And in return, you didn't even say thank you. But I knew I had to see you again." She trailed off, clearly thinking. Spencer let his head rest against the bed, and his eyes close for a moment. Next thing, he was drenched from head to toe with icy water.

"Don't fall asleep when I'm telling you something!" She barked. Spencer tried to look more awake, but was struggling; he'd been awake for nearly twenty-four hours straight, and coupled with the limited sleep he'd already been having, he was on a sure-fire path to total exhaustion.

"Do you remember the Holden case? The one with the rogue FBI agent that had raped that young woman?" Spencer nodded; of course he remembered. The Holden case had been an interesting one; a rogue FBI agent had been raping a girl and threatening her so she'd keep it quiet. When she did finally report the incidents to the police, she never told them who it was, only that he was from the FBI. Every male staff member had to report to SNV Medical Centre for a DNA swab, and Spencer remembered the nurse he had with Hotch and Rossi telling him that part of the new procedure was a semen sample. Spencer had flushed at the embarrassment, but had complied anyhow. They later found out it was Graeme Johnson from one of the other BAU teams, and he was quickly removed and replaced with a new expert. Reid was struggling to see the significance of mentioning this case, and as he looked up at Noah, he raised an eyebrow. She leaned in closer to him.

"What if I told you a semen sample wasn't necessary?" She whispered. Spencer's mind automatically did the maths, and as the realisation dawned on him, he started struggling against the bonds, trying to escape, to shake her, make sure she was actually telling the truth. Noah stood up as Liam returned, and took the steaming mug of tea from him.

"Make sure he doesn't forget his time here," said Noah. She took a sip of the tea, and looked at her older brother. Liam nodded.

"Yes Noah," he replied obediently. Noah turned to leave, then put a hand on Liam's arm.

"If you're going to use the blades, use the shortest and make them shallow," she advised. The last time Liam had used a switchblade on someone, he'd stuck it too deep, piercing their heart and killing them instantly. He'd been thoroughly disappointed; he hadn't had a chance to really play with that man. This one was fun though; he didn't give up. Liam hoisted Spencer off the bed and hung him back up from the ceiling again, making sure he couldn't touch the floor. Liam crossed over to a cupboard full of knives, and pulled out a short knife; short enough to miss most vital organs, but sharp enough to cause some serious damage. Liam turned and smiled menacingly at Spencer.

_This would be fun._

Each stab wound was shallow, the pain sharp. Spencer couldn't scream; his mouth was still taped shut. He writhed in agony as Liam stabbed him, struggling to breathe, to stay conscious.

_One..._

_Two..._

_Three..._

_Four..._

_Five..._

Spencer felt himself becoming faint as his blood pooled on the floor, running down his back and sides. Liam ripped the tape off Spencer's mouth, tearing away skin as he went.

"I'd rape you pretty boy, but my sister's told me I can't. But I can torture you before I get to bury you," sneered Liam. Spencer let out a soft sob, and Liam slapped him hard.

_He wasn't ready to die._

_He couldn't understand why she was doing this._

_How was she having his child?_

_Why was she torturing him?_

_JJ._

_Save me._


	4. Begging and Birth

**A/N - Not living in America, most places are made up. Very made up :)**

* * *

**Chapter Four - Begging and Birth**

Day two.

The pain had died down a little, and was no more than an ache. He had been taken down from his hanging position and put on the bed, left to rest. He'd been provided a little water; only because Noah wasn't ready for him to die. Not yet anyway. Spencer was resting, trying not to sleep. The door swung open with a bang, and Liam brought in a set of clean fresh towels, setting them upon the bed on the other side of the room. The lights came up, illuminating everything. Spencer could finally see the tools lining the walls; most were medical implements, but some were not as familiar. Spencer struggled to sit upright, the pain searing through his back as he moved.

"Wh... what are you doing?" Asked Spencer.

"Don't you mind. Noah's got a suprise for you," said Liam. Spencer looked confused, and glanced up at the camera. He knew they were sending footage to the BAU team; he just didn't know what they'd seen yet. Noah came in, a hand on her lower back, breathing heavily.

"You're in for a treat Spence," she said breathily. Spencer raised an eyebrow at her.

"It's time. You're going to be here for your baby's birth; just the way I hoped it would be," said Noah. She braced herself against the wall as a contraction took her breath away, and she breathed through it easily.

"You hoped it would be this way?" Asked Spencer incredulously.

"Don't you see? I loved you from the day I first met you in the ER, and when the FBI rape case came up, it was too easy to steal your sperm. I wanted to have a baby with you Spencer, but then I've seen you with that JJ woman, with Emily and Penelope, and I knew you'd never love me. So I impregnated myself, so I could have a part of you to love. Then I knew I needed to get rid of you, and Liam was the perfect person to help me do so. I..." Her breath hitched again as another contraction crested and peaked.

"I've been in labour for nearly three days, only slow at first. I could rest around the contractions, move around, talk, watch and observe you. Now they're getting stronger, and I'm nearly fully dilated. You'll be here to watch your baby enter the world, to take their first breath, and then Liam will be able to bury you alive. I'll look after her Spence, don't you worry. I promise," said Noah. She huffed her way through another contraction, and Spencer knew she was close.

"Wh... what if something goes wrong?" Asked Spencer.

"Liam's a doctor. We've got nearly everything we need here." Noah had been pacing the room, bringing the contractions on faster. She knew she was ready for this; ready to bring Spencer's baby into the world, and to make him leave it. She could feel the baby shifting underneath her hands, the contractions running into each other, nearly as one continuous contraction. She glanced up at her brother, fear in her eyes.

"Liam, I need to push," she said urgently.

"Not yet Noah, not yet. Next contraction," said Liam gently. Noah shook her head and felt her body take over.

"I can't hold it back Liam. I need to go now," she said tearfully. Liam hoisted her up onto the bed, and Noah started pushing, her body desperate to bring the infant into the world.

"I... planned... everything," she huffed aloud.

"I see the head!" Called Liam.

"All... to make... you... suffer!" She exclaimed.

"Easy, baby's almost out," announced Liam. One more push from Noah, and the baby slipped out into Liam's waiting hands. Noah fell back against the bed, chest heaving.

"It's a baby girl. She's perfect Noah. What are you going to call her?" Asked Liam.

"Riley Reid," she whispered, leaning back and closing her eyes. Liam tied off the cord and cut it before swathing the tiny child in a clean warm towel. He rocked her for a few moments before hearing a deep sigh from his sister.

"Noah?" He asked. She didn't answer, and Liam glanced over at her. She didn't move, and Liam finally took in the expanding pool of blood on the bed. Liam uncuffed Spencer and handed the child to him.

"Don't do anything stupid," he growled. Spencer held the tiny girl close as Liam started CPR on his sister.

"Don't leave me. Please Noah, not now," he begged. He continued CPR for fifteen minutes before finally sitting back on his haunches.

"You killed her!" Liam exclaimed angrily.

"I didn't even touch her!" Exclaimed Spencer.

"But it was _your_ baby. Your baby survived, and my sister didn't!" Liam turned to Spencer, the rage clear in his eyes, and he started slapping and punching Spencer, fisted hands biting into any available flesh. Spencer curled his body, instinctively protecting the tiny baby girl in his arms.

"I'll kill you and your baby! I'll bury both of you alive!"

* * *

"It's been two days. Do we have anything?" Asked Hotch. He looked up around the team, and received a collection of blank looks.

"Noah Riley missed her prenatal appointment today," piped up Garcia.

"What?" Asked Rossi.

"Baby appointments. She's been attending for weeks, and according to her doctors files, she was due any day now. She should be in a hospital somewhere," said Garcia.

"Wait. Garcia, where did you say Noah Riley was working before she moved here?" Asked Morgan.

"Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Centre. Why?" Asked Garcia.

"You may have come across something there. Do you have the names of all the doctors and nurses who processed anything from the Holden case?" Asked Morgan.

"Of course I do, my chocolate God. What are you thinking?" Asked Garcia.

"That she might be connected somehow," said Morgan.

"Do you have a photo of Noah Riley?" Asked Hotch. Garcia pulled one up on their screen.

"This is Noah Riley two, maybe three years ago," said Garcia. Aaron sat down quickly.

"I didn't see it. Why didn't I see it?" He berated himself.

"Aaron? What didn't you see?" Asked JJ, concerned.

"She was Reid's ER nurse when I had to take him in. He'd had a series of intense nightmares, and he rang me confused and upset, and I took him to an ER. They gave him a mild sedative, and she was the nurse that offered to stay with him, and to let me go home and get some sleep. I should have known!" Exclaimed Aaron, bringing his fist down on the table.

"That's not the only time. She was the one that took our DNA and semen samples when the FBI were being investigated for the Holden case," said Rossi.

"My lists back it up," added Garcia.

"Wait. You gave a semen sample?" Asked Emily.

"Aaron, Reid and myself. Why?" Asked Dave, his cheeks flushing.

"Because it's not standard protocol to do that unless they can't match DNA evidence," replied Emily.

"I have an address!" Chipped in Garcia.

"Where are we heading to baby girl?" Asked Morgan.

"512 Rookwood Avenue, Illinois," said Garcia. Morgan blew her kiss.

"Thank you Sugar. I owe you one!" The team piled into the SUV's, Aaron and Rossi taking one, Morgan, Emily and JJ taking the other.

"How can we even be sure Reid will be here?" Asked Morgan.

"Garcia says it's the only address registered to either of their names, and Noah still has paychecks going there. If she's there, we can ask questions," said Emily.

"We'll find him Morgan. We found him last time," JJ said quietly.

"And he nearly died last time! What's to say he won't die this time?"

* * *

Liam drove his flatbed truck out to a deserted stretch of road before pulling over and stopping. He climbed out, pulling out a shovel. He paused for a moment, surveying the road.

_He'd buried five other bodies this way._

_And the FBI hadn't found them so far._

He started digging, whistling tunelessly as he dug the hole. It was laborious work, but it made some of the grief of losing Noah disappear. After two hours digging, it was wide enough to drop the coffin in.

_He was ready._

He pulled the heavy box off the back of the truck, and dragged it across to the hole. He slid it in halfway before giving it a hefty shove.

"Goodbye _Spencer. _Goodbye Riley." He picked up his shovel and moved the dislocated dirt back into the hole, leaving a mound, covering the screams from the trapped individuals inside.

_Wait._

_What had he done?_

A highway patrol car pulled over, and a police officer exited the vehicle.

"Sir? Is everything alright?" Asked the officer. Liam shook his head, and reached into his pocket, his hand closing around the handgun. He pulled it out and pressed it against his own head.

"There's no need for that!" Spluttered the young officer nervously.

"Yes there is. Tell the FBI that Spencer Reid is buried here."

_He squeezed the trigger._

_One shot._

_And it was over._

* * *

Spencer woke up in the dark, feeling very claustrophobic and afraid.

_He knew exactly where he was._

He flinched, and realised that Riley had been placed in the coffin with him.

_Destined to die together._

He pressed a kiss to her forehead before letting his head rest back to conserve energy.

_Aaron._

_Dave._

_Emily._

_Garcia._

_Anyone._

_Save me._


	5. The Countdown

**Chapter Five - The Countdown**

"FBI! Show yourselves!" Exclaimed Morgan, slamming in the front door. The house was quiet, empty, the air cold.

"Doesn't look like there's anyone here," said Emily.

"Clear each room, then we'll get a CSU out here to collect evidence," said Aaron. They split up, checking rooms. After a few minutes, Morgan found the entrance to the basement.

"Hotch!" He called. Aaron and Rossi were beside him in seconds, and he carefully pushed the door open. Noah's cold, lifeless body greeted him, blood still staining the sheets. Morgan flipped on the lights, and took in the collection of torture implements displayed on the walls.

"We need an ME here; she's been dead a little while. We need an exact time of death and cause of death," said Rossi. Hotch pulled out his mobile, calling in all the necessary people.

"Who do you think it is?" Asked Morgan.

"Noah Riley, and it looks like she's already had her baby," commented Rossi.

"Then where's the baby?" Asked Morgan.

"Guys, local PD pulled over a guy matching Liam's description," said JJ, joining them in the disastrous basement.

"Alright, let's get moving," said Rossi. JJ shook her head.

"There's more," she whispered.

"Like what?" Asked Morgan.

"Right before he shot himself, he said to tell the FBI that 'this is where Spencer Reid is buried.'" Morgan stared at her.

"We need to get out there! If Reid's out there, he might still have time to save him!" Exclaimed Morgan.

"I've already called road crews and teams in. We'll find him Morgan," said JJ. Morgan nodded, and they headed out to the SUV's. Reid's time was fast running out, and they needed to get to him and fast.

_Reid._

_We're coming to save you._

* * *

With two of them inside the coffin, air was fast running out. Each breath was laboured and harsh, the lack of oxygen making Spencer dizzy. He wished he'd had a chance to say goodbye to the team, to Diana. To everyone who'd made a difference in his life.

_Rossi; the one who'd given him the chance to express himself even when he perhaps thought he was rambling._

_Emily; the one girl he admired for her attitude and work ethic._

_Aaron; the one who'd helped support him after Gideon had left, helped get him back on his feet._

_JJ; best friend in the entire world, mother to his godson. He would miss her the most; she was like the sister he'd always wanted but never received._

_Garcia; the motherly figure in his life when Diana wasn't. She made sure he ate enough, was sleeping well, and generally loved him to bits no matter what._

_Morgan; if he could change to become like one person in the world, it would be Morgan. He commanded respect, was well built and strong, and Reid would trust him to break down a door any day._

_Finally, Diana; his own mother. Despite her slowly losing her mind, she'd always tried to look after him, and when the roles were reversed, he tried to care for her as best he could. It didn't matter that she was in a home; he still loved her._

_Would always love her._

He sighed, his breathing becoming shallower.

_Diana._

_Save me._

* * *

"He could be anywhere!" Exclaimed Morgan.

"And we've taken that into account. The PD officer said that Liam stated 'Spencer Reid is buried here.' What if he meant literally?" Asked Hotch.

"We've got drag marks!" Called Rossi. He followed the along the ground, not waiting for Hotch or Morgan to catch up. He continued on until he came to a mound of freshly moved dirt.

"Aaron! Derek!" He called. He pushed the shovel into the dirt, determined to shift it. Aaron and Derek joined him, Aaron abandoning his suit jacket and tie. JJ and Emily sprinted to join them, leaving the traumatised PD officer to watch on as the BAU team desperately tried to save one of their own. It took ten long minutes to finally move the dirt away before they came to the coffin. Morgan knocked on it.

"Come on Pretty Boy; the cavalry has arrived. Time to wake up," he called. There was no movement, and Morgan glanced up to Hotch.

"We'll hoist it up. Prentiss, get us a crowbar," said Hotch. Emily ran to fetch a crowbar, and JJ paced the ground as Hotch, Rossi and Morgan hoisted the heavy coffin out of the ground. Morgan scrabbled over the surface with his fingers, trying to see if he could wrench it open. Emily thrust a crowbar into his hand, and he wedged it under the lip of the lid before breaking the coffin open. Rossi and Hotch grabbed the pieces before they could gave inwards, and then the lid was open.

"Oh God Spencer," whispered JJ. The tiny baby girl let out a small whimper, and JJ felt her motherly instinct take over. She picked up the little girl, cradling her to her chest; she was naked and her fingers, toes and lips were all tinged blue. Hotch grabbed his discarded suit jacket and wrapped it around JJ and the infant, trying to introduce heat.

"Take her over to a medic; go to the hospital with her," said Hotch softly. JJ nodded, still trying to work out how a baby ended up in a coffin with Spence. She left, and Hotch turned back to Morgan and Rossi; they'd removed Reid from the coffin and were giving him CPR.

"Breathe dammit Reid!" Muttered Morgan. Reid groaned and coughed a little, and if Morgan could have done it without injuring him, he would have hugged Reid.

"Thank God you're back," said Morgan, relived. Spencer shook his head, and moved a weak hand to his chest.

"Hotch, we need a medic now," said Morgan urgently. Hotch had one there in seconds, and he was kneeling next to Spencer.

"Muffled breath sounds on the left. It's a tension pneumothorax; we can do a stop gap solution in the field, but until these broken ribs are reset, there's not a lot we can do," said the medic.

"Do what you need to do," said Hotch. The medic nodded, and pulled out a large gauge needle. He counted down the ribs till he came to the intercostal space he needed, then plunged the needle down. The hiss of air was heard by Morgan, Hotch and Rossi, and Spencer started breathing on his own again. Morgan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Will one of you be coming with us?" Asked the medic. Hotch glanced at Morgan, and then nodded.

"Agent Morgan will go with you," he decided, and Morgan threw him a grateful look. The medic secured an oxygen mask to Spencer's face, which Spencer promptly pulled away.

"Wh...ere's... Ri...ley?" He asked.

"Liam's dead Reid. You don't need to worry," said Hotch reassuringly. Spencer shook his head, regretting it the moment he did it.

"The... ba... by," he responded.

"She's gone with JJ. She'll be okay, just a little cold and hungry. Let's worry about you now," said Morgan. Spencer sighed, and Morgan placed the oxygen mask back over Spencer's face. The medics transferred him to a stretcher, and he passed out as they carried him back towards the awaiting ambulance.

"Is he okay?" Asked Morgan.

"He's in a lot of pain at the moment; we'll give him some morphine in the ambulance," said the first medic. Morgan wavered for a moment as they loaded him into the ambulance.

"What is it?" Asked the medic.

"He's got a history with narcotics, and he doesn't like to use them where possible," said Morgan nervously.

"We'll give him an anti-inflammatory for the moment and forego the morphine until we're at the hospital," decided the medic. Morgan flashed her a quick smile.

"Thank you."

* * *

JJ held the tiny baby in her arms as the ambulance sped towards the hospital, marveling at her tiny features. The medics took her observations, noting down everything on a new chart. JJ was confused; how did a tiny baby get into the same coffin as Spencer, and why was she put in there? As they pulled up to the hospital, the baby was taken away from JJ and whisked off to the nursery where nurses could care for her. She was put under police guard almost instantly, and JJ was nervously left waiting for Spencer. She wasn't disappointed; five minutes later, Spencer's gurney was rushed past her his body convulsing as they rushed him to an OR. Morgan trailed in behind, tears visibly falling down his cheeks.

"Morgan? What happened?" Asked JJ, taking a seat with him in the waiting room.

"He was doing okay, and then his heart monitors went crazy, and he started seizing, and then as soon as we got here, I was pushed out of the way. They're taking him to surgery now, and they'll give us an update later," said Morgan, fear emanating from him; he just wanted to know that Reid was okay. Hotch, Rossi and Emily came in, Emily on the phone to Garcia.

"I'll put him on now Pen, just hold on," said Emily. She handed the phone over to Morgan, and turned to JJ.

"Have we heard anything?" Asked Emily.

"The baby girl has been taken up to the nursery to be checked over and warmed up, and Spencer's been rushed off to surgery. We don't know a lot more than that," said JJ wearily.

"We'll wait here for more news, alright?" Declared Hotch. JJ took a seat, resting her head in her hands, relief flushing through her.

Flooding them all.

_They had Spencer back._

_But how much was still Spencer?_

* * *

_Floating..._

_Effortless, easy..._

_No pain..._

_Spencer wanted to stay in the easy place, the inbetween..._

_Facts floated around like clouds, and he didn't want to wake up..._

_"Reid, we're all here with you..." _

_"Wake up Reid..."_

_"Come on Pretty Boy, bunch of people all here to see you..."_

_"Come on Reid, wake up and give us some facts. Anything..."_

_"Come on Junior G-man, I brought you your favourite cookies. You just gotta wake up..."_

_He couldn't do it, couldn't open his eyes..._

_Until his mind rested on Riley._

_Riley!_

His eyes snapped open.

"Riley?" He croaked.

"She's in the nursery Reid, just rest," said JJ's quiet voice. He glanced around, and realised she was the only one there.

"Where is everyone?" He asked.

"Garcia is downstairs with Riley, having the opportunity of her life getting to give that gorgeous baby her first bath. Morgan, Hotch, Rossi and Emily are resting, and Morgan will be here in an hour," said JJ softly. Reid glanced around.

"How long have I been out?" He asked.

"Nearly a week. You've been on antibiotics and anti-inflammatories to reduce the fever and swelling. You've got stitches on your back and some burn dressings as well, and you're on mild pain relievers. What happened out there Spence?" She asked.

"A lot of things. I need to tell everyone Jayje," said Spencer.

"I'll call them in now, okay?" Spencer nodded, feeling slightly dizzy.

_They saved me._

* * *

**A/N - This was originally where I was going to end it, but it's kind of morphed into a completely different idea, so I'm going to keep going with it. It's definitely an interesting journeyI'm looking forward to seeing where I end up! Please review and let me know what you think, and thank you to all those who have reviewed so far! To all those who have followed or favourited, thank you, and see you next chapter!**

**~MissShawnaAlice~**


	6. Playing Parents

**Ask and you shall receive - another update! Enjoy! ~MissShawnaAlice~**

* * *

**Chapter Six - Playing Parents**

Spencer woke up again as everyone traipsed back into his room quietly.

"How're you doing kid?" Asked Morgan, taking a seat on the other side of Reid's bed.

"Numb. Sore. I think I might be a little crazy though," added Reid.

"Why is that?" Asked JJ.

"Let me tell you what happened, and then you might understand." Spencer struggled to sit up more comfortably, and grabbed Morgan's arms as he hoisted himself up.

"You right now?" Asked Morgan. Reid flashed him a nervous smile.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"So we know you were taken from the hotel; what happened after that?" Asked Aaron. He, Rossi, and Emily were leaning against the wall; Garcia had asked to be excused. She didn't want to hear it, and Aaron didn't blame her.

"He used chloroform to subdue me, and next thing I knew, I was in a basement, a pregnant woman sitting in the same room with me. He beat me, whipped me and burnt me with acid and a cattle prod. He said he couldn't rape me because his sister didn't want him to... I spoke the woman. She turned out to be Noah Riley," said Reid.

"Noah Riley was the body in the basement," confirmed Rossi.

"He beat me after she died. This whole escapade was her idea; she'd met me the night Hotch had taken me to the ER, and she said she thought she loved me. She knew she could have me, and she didn't like JJ, Emily or Garcia, and when opportunity presented itself, she took it," said Reid. He stopped looking at the team, instead fiddling with the sheets. JJ moved to take his hand and he pulled away, drawing himself as close to himself as he could.

"When we were doing the DNA swabs for the Holden case, she took a sperm sample from Hotch, Rossi and myself. She used the samples to impregnate herself so she could have a part of me always with her. Then she realised that she couldn't keep me in the picture and Liam had a taste for blood..." Spencer trailed off, and a tear streaked down his cheek.

"Oh God Reid," said Morgan softly.

"We'll help you out Reid, don't worry," said JJ.

"I want a paternity test," said Spencer quietly.

"What?" Asked Aaron incredulously.

"I need to know she's really mine. What if Noah was just lying about who the father was to get to me?" Asked Spencer.

"I'll find a doctor, see what I can get organised," said Emily. She disappeared out the door, and return twenty minutes later with a doctor.

"Agent Prentiss tells me you would like a paternity test to confirm that you are indeed the father of Riley Reid. Is that correct?" Asked the doctor. Spencer nodded.

"Alright. I'll get a nurse to get a blood sample for me, and I'll run the test," agreed the doctor.

"I think you should compare against Agent Hotchner and Agent Rossi's DNA as well," whispered Spencer.

"Why is that?" Asked Rossi.

"Because she took your sperm too, and she didn't label the samples when she had them. What if she mixed them up?" Asked Reid. Hotch sighed.

"Okay. We'll get this done. After that, you need to get some rest, okay?" Ordered Hotch. Spencer nodded and stifled a yawn. The doctor left, taking Hotch and Rossi with him, and a nurse came in to take Spencer's blood. He closed his eyes as she took the blood, and before he knew it, he'd fallen asleep...

* * *

Morgan woke up as Reid whimpered in his sleep, and he realised he was having a nightmare. Not wanting to repeat the last experience, Morgan carefully pinned the top of Reid's arms down as he tried to wake him up.

"Reid! You've got to wake up kid. You're okay, I'm here, you're in a safe place, everything is alright." Morgan thought he was succeeding as Reid's eyes fluttered, but he was mistaken; Reid's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he started seizing. Morgan released him and pressed the call button. Two nurses came running in, and ordered Morgan to leave. That was where Emily found him two hours later.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked, handing him a coffee.

"He had a seizure. The doctor came and spoke to me, said it was something to do with an infection in the wounds on his back. They're draining them now, and then they'll raise the dosage level of his antibiotics. He's due to come back from recovery soon," said Morgan. No sooner than he said the words did a nurse appear, wheeling Spencer's bed back into the room.

"He's awake, but a little foggy on what happened in the past few hours. He'll be okay," assured the nurse. Morgan and Emily entered Reid's room, noting the new IV bag on the stand and Spencer's paler than normal complexion. His eyes looked sunken, cheeks hollow, and Emily realised how sick he really was right now.

"The doctor wants to speak to all of you in an hour. Are you able to pull together the rest of your agents?" Asked the nurse.

"I'll call them now," said Morgan. He left, leaving Emily with Reid. She stroked his long curls out of his face, brushing them aside. He opened his eyes slowly.

"Emily?" He asked sleepily.

"I'm right here Reid, and I'm not going anywhere. You get that rest you need, and I'll wake you up in an hour," promised Emily.

"Okay," he whispered. He closed his eyes again, enjoying the movement of Emily's fingers through his hair. He'd only just closed his eyes when the wave of nausea hit, and before he could warn her, Spencer threw up over Emily. He felt disgusted, and sobbed brokenly as he struggled to not heave again. Unfortunately, he couldn't, and as he heaved, a practiced hand pushed a kidney dish under his chin.

"Shh Reid. It's alright. Everyone gets sick occasionally," soothed Emily. She pressed the call button again, and two nurses came in, Sandra and Marie.

"Can we get him cleaned up please?" Asked Emily.

"Sure. I should have warned you honey, the antibiotics we put him on are really rather strong, and they could make him sick. We know now not to give him any solid food," said the nurse cheerfully.

"I'll call one of my team members, get them to grab a change of clothes for me," said Emily. She messaged Garcia, knowing she'd actually read her texts, before returning her attention to Reid. Sandra and Marie each took an arm, going to lift him up, when he lost it completely. He started shrieking in fear, resisting every movement, arms flailing. In the confusion, he bit Sandra, and she released him, clamping a hand on the open wound. Marie hurried around to her friend and glared at Spencer.

"Freak," she muttered. Morgan burst into the room, gun drawn; he'd heard Spencer screaming and Emily shouting, and had assumed the worst.

"What the hell happened?" Asked Morgan, holstoring his weapon.

"Your genius freak of a friend bit Sandra; enough to draw blood!" Exclaimed Marie.

"You wouldn't happen to know the nurse Noah Riley would you?" Asked Morgan, picking up on the reference to genius freak; the words were scarred on his back.

"The three of us were best friends," said Marie haughtily.

"Spencer here was tortured by Noah's brother," said Morgan menacingly.

"Liam? But he was so nice," commented Sandra. Spencer retched again as he heard the words come out of Sandra's, and Emily quickly placed the dish back under his chin.

"I want both of you out. Now. No reports filed, and new nurses on Spencer's case," said Morgan. Sandra and Marie nodded in unison.

"Yes sir," said Sandra quietly.

"What about cleaning him up? You gonna do that yourself?" Asked Marie.

"I'm sure as hell not gonna ask you to do it after the way you just spoke about him. If we don't have new nurses in here in the next five minutes, I'll do it myself and report the hospital and yourselves for negligence. You got it?" Asked Morgan. Marie squeaked, and the two woman hurried out of the room. Emily's phone buzzed, and she read the new text.

"Garcia's brought me clean clothes; can you stay with Reid while I go change?" She asked. Morgan nodded.

"Easy," he said. Emily raised an eyebrow, but left him anyway. Morgn rinsed out the dish in the bathroom.

"At least you've got an excuse for throwing up on Emily. I didn't," said Morgan.

"You threw up on Emily?" Asked Spencer weakly.

"Sure did. Was drunk as anything, and we went back to her place; she hadn't had a drink, and my place was too far away for me to get to. She came out of the kitchen to hand me a coffee, and instead of saying thanks, I threw up all over her. Hangover's are a bitch sometimes; this one left me throwing up for the rest of the day. Em looked after me," replied Morgan.

"That explains why she's so quick," said Spencer. He started to heave again, his stomach roiling, and Morgan expertly placed the dish under Spencer's chin, watching as Spencer started crying again.

"I know it feels horrible, but your stomach will settle, and you'll feel better soon," said Morgan gently. Two male nurses came in, both African American.

"Spencer, we're the new detail assigned to this floor. I'm Charlie and this is DJ. I'm going to take you into the bathroom, help get you cleaned up, and DJ gets the lovely job of changing your sheets and mopping the floor. You okay with that?" Asked Charlie. Spencer nodded. He thought he was okay; until Charlie started to lift him up. Spencer's arm flailed out wildly, and Morgan caught his hand.

"Your friend is welcome to come in with us if that ould make it any easier," suggested Charlie. Spencer nodded, his eyes closed. Between Derek and Charlie, they moved Spencer to the bathroom, and had him cleaned up and fresh smelling in ten minutes. As Charlie opened the door, Spencer moaned.

"Reid? You okay?" Asked Morgan.

"Feel... dizzy..." Said Reid, holding a hand to his head.

"You've been lying down for nearly a week; it's no surprise you're a little dizzy!" Exclaimed Charlie easily. He and Derek escorted Spencer back to his bed, complete with fresh sheets and a warm blanket. Spencer was tucked in by Charlie, and he and DJ left shortly before Hotch and Rossi came in, accompanied by Emily. JJ and Garcia had gone down to the nursery to visit Riley.

"What happened?" Asked Aaron, noting the change in pyjama's and sheets. Morgan and Prentiss explained, and Aaron nodded.

"How are you feeling now Reid?" Asked Aaron gently.

"Thirsty, but they won't let me have anything," grumbled Reid.

"Don't worry, as soon as you're able to eat, Garcia will be sneaking food in here for you everyday," assured Emily. A doctor knocked on the door, and let himself in.

"Hi. We met briefly yesterday; I'm Dr. Harry Marshall. I've got the results of the paternity test you ordered," said Dr. Marshall. Spencer started hyperventilating as he realised how close he was to finding out the truth.

"Spencer, you need to cal down," said Dr. Marshall. Spencer shook his head.

"I... can't..." he gasped. Dr. Marshall pressed the call button, and Charlie came in with a paper bag.

"Just breathe into this Spencer. It's okay," assured Charlie gently. Spencer locked eyes with Aaron, and Aaron sat down on the other side of him.

"It's just like every other panic attack; just breathe slowly. Count your breaths for me," said Aaron quietly. The others stood back against the wall; Aaron usually stepped in for a panic attack. Aaron or JJ. After a few moments, Spencer's breathing returned to normal.

"Are you sure you're ready for me to continue?" Asked Dr Marshall. Spencer nodded.

"I need to know," said Spencer softly. Dr. Marshall pulled out three identical copies of the results, handing one to Dave, one to Aaron, and one to Spencer. Emily looked over their shoulder, and as she scanned through the results, she gasped.

"No way!"

* * *

**So who do think really is the father?**


	7. Who's Your Daddy?

******_My apologies to anyone who didn't receive the email update about the previous chapter - seems that FF is playing silly again!_**

******_A/N - This won't be slash (for those who were concerned about it); think more along the lines of best mates that look out for each other. Also, the current theme, whilst it may not be "plausible" out here in real life, anything can happen in a fanfiction kind of world. If you don't like it, back away now._**

******_~MissShawnaAlice~_**

* * *

**Chapter Seven - Who's Your Daddy?**

"No way!" Exclaimed Emily.

"From what I've read of Dr Liam Riley's notes, he may have mixed the samples up when he did the IVF treatment for her. It was part of the reason why he was sacked, along with other reasons; he shouldn't have been doing anything for his sister, especially that procedure. We did the test three times to confirm that the results were correct," said Dr. Marshall.

"Thank you Dr. If you could leave us with some time to process...?" Emily trailed off, and the Dr. got the message instantly.

"Of course. If you need me, have Charlie or DJ page me." He turned and was gone before anyone realised. Rossi and Hotch both sat down on empty chairs, disbelieving of the results in front of them. Reid had passed his copy of the results to Morgan, and had settled back on the bed, his heart rate settling, breathing evening out as he started to drift asleep.

"We need to talk about this," said Emily softly.

"Dave? How are you doing?" Asked Morgan. Dave's hands were shaking, the paper fluttering in his hands; he looked on the verge of an anxiety attack. Aaron had been shocked that Riley's father wasn't Reid, but had been even more surprised to find out that it was Rossi.

"I... I can't be a father. It's not possible. I'm not father material!" He exclaimed desperately. JJ picked that moment to show up and enter the room. She took in the distressed face of Dave, and glanced at Morgan.

"What happened?" She asked.

"This." Morgan handed her the paternity results, and JJ gasped as she read them.

"Reid's not the father? So Noah messed up then," said JJ.

"Liam messed up; he was the one that did the IVF procedure, and he used the wrong sperm," said Emily.

"There's plenty we can do Dave. We can foster her out, or you can put her up for adoption..."

"I can't do that to a child! Look at what she's been through already in her short life; a crazed maniac for a mother, and an uncle who decided she wasn't worth it, and buried her alive in a box. No. I'm not giving her up. Even if I have to hire a nanny or a babysitter or find another wife; I'm not letting her go," said Rossi stubbornly.

"Then maybe you'd like to come meet her? Garcia's sitting down there now, reading her a book, but you're welcome to come down and see her," offered JJ. Rossi ran a hand through his hair.

"Thanks for the offer JJ, but not yet. I still need time for this to sink in," said Rossi softly. JJ nodded.

"I understand." JJ left, walking down the corridor in a haze.

_Rossi?_

_A Father?_

He'd never shown any real interest towards having his own children. Ever. Carolyn had given birth to a son, James, but he died soon after his birth.

_Yet he was fighting for a little girl he'd never met._

She was adorable. Dark curls, brown eyes, tiny fingers and toes; it made JJ's maternal instinct kick into overdrive. She stood in the doorway, watching as Garcia finished the book, then sat gazing at the tiny wonder.

"How's she doing?" Asked JJ quietly.

"Great. My little cupcake here only stopped breathing once," whispered Garcia.

"That's definitely an improvement. What brought it on this time?" Asked JJ.

"She fell asleep; they say it's just apnoea, and it will resolve itself soon. For now, they just monitor her. How is Reid doing?" Asked Garcia.

"He's sick, but he'll pull through," came Emily's voice from the doorway. She stepped inside and hugged Garcia.

"Thanks for the change of clothes by the way," she smiled.

"No problem. How's he really doing?" Asked Garcia.

"He had a seizure earlier tonight, brought on by infection. They've upped his antibiotics, but they're quite strong, and they're making him nauseous. We had his nurse detail changed; the two nurses who were looking after him were friends of Noah Riley's, and seems they shared her view. Not a pleasant experience," said Emily, shuddering as she recalled the panic on Reid's face.

"Oh God. And to find out you're a Dad on top of all that would make your life seem like hell," said Garcia, musing to herself.

"Actually... Reid's not the father," said JJ awkwardly.

"What? Who is then? Rossi?" Garcia laughed at her own joke, and then stopped as she saw the serious looks on her two best friend's faces.

"David Rossi is Riley's father?" Asked Garcia incredulously. JJ and Emily nodded.

"He's a little bit shaken up by the news at the moment. I wouldn't be surprised if we found him at the bar later with several Scotch's on hand," said Emily.

"So what's he going to do?" Asked Garcia.

"I have no idea. He doesn't want to foster her out or adopt her out, which leaves her with him or a nanny. If he really wants to keep her close by, I've already talked to Will, and I'm happy to do a closed adoption and adopt her as one of my own; Will and I have been trying for a little while now, and we keep missing, so maybe this is the answer I've been looking for," said JJ.

"Whatever Rossi decides, we'll be there to help him out as much as possible. Riles can come hang out with me in my tech lair if a baby sitter is needed," offered Garcia.

"I just can't see him as a father," said Emily.

"You'd be suprised. He may just change his tune. Then again, he could be Uncle Dave for the rest of his life," said JJ, smiling. Garcia smiled at the tiny baby still sleeping in front of her.

"Never mind little pork chop. We'll look after you."

* * *

Spencer Reid was dreaming.

_And it was violent._

_He was being beaten across the back..._

_Slapped across the face..._

_Burnt on his arms..._

_Broken shins, broken ankles, broken bones..._

_Concussion to the brain..._

He was sweating through the sheets, crying out, but the dreams wouldn't release him. He thrashed against the bed frame, trying to escape the unseen attacker, and consequently sammed his wrist against the metal bed frame. It snapped with an audible crack, and he cried out again, still asleep. Hotch had been the one to stay with him this time, and as he woke up and realised what was going on for Spencer, his heart dropped.

_Not again._

Aaron crossed over to the hospital bed, and shook Spencer gently.

"Reid. Reid, time to come back to the land of the living now," said Aaron quietly. Spencer's back arched painfully, and then he flopped against the bed. HIs heart monitor warned anyone within hearing distance that the man in the bed was no longer alive, and Aaron steped away as Charlie and DJ raced into the room, followed by the attending.

"Code blue!" Called the attending. Defibrillating paddles were placed in her hand by Charlie, and DJ tore open Spencer's hospital gown.

"Clear!"

_Spencer's body jumped unnaturally as the current passed through his body._

_Nothing._

"Clear!"

_A second jolt, and Spencer's heart started to soldier on again._

_They hadn't lost him yet._

"Charles, I want you to get the portable X-Ray machine in here and page ortho for a consult. It looks like he may have broken his wrist," said the attending.

"Yes doctor," replied Charlie.

"DJ, I want you to stay in here and monitor the patient whilst I have a chat with Agent Hotchner here." DJ nodded, and took a seat by Spencer's bed. Aaron glanced wistfully at Spencer before following the attending out.

"I'm Dr. Hannah Daniels. How long has he had nightmares?" Asked the doctor, leading him down the corridor

"He was having nightmares like any normal person before, but they got worse after the first time he was tortured," said Aaron. They were in an empty family room now; only Morgan was there, asleep in the corner.

"The first time he was tortured?" Asked Hannah.

"It was an FBI case a while ago; he became a drug addict afterwards, and started having the frightening nightmares. That's when they started, and they were nowhere near as bad as this was tonight," stated Hotch. He rested his head in his hands.

"Has he seen a therapist?" Asked Hannah.

"He did for a while, but Reid's got an IQ of 187; he can bluff his way through almost any therapy session," replied Hotch.

"For now, I'm going to sedate him, give him a chance to get some decent rest, and then we'll assess him. I take it you'll want to take him back to Quantico?" Asked Hannah.

"It would be better; it might be easier for us to manage. I... I just don't know at the moment," said Hotch tiredly.

"Maybe you should go and get some rest, Agent Hotchner. I'll station a nurse in Dr. Reid's room for the moment to monitor him, and then I'll fill in Dr. Marshall. Perhaps at the end of this week, we can get him back to Quantico," said Hannah quietly. Hotch nodded.

"Thank you. I appreciated your offer for a nurse to sit in, but I will call one of my colleagues and get them to sit with Spencer. I don't want him to wake up alone," said Hotch quietly.

"That's fine. I'll leave you to make your phonecall, and I'll check on Spencer." Hannah left Hotch alone, and he pulled out his phone.

"Dave? Listen, I know it's early, but I need to get some sleep. Could you come and sit with Reid for a while?" Asked Aaron tiredly.

"I'll be there in five minutes." Aaron closed his phonee with a snap, and promptly woke Morgan up.

"Hotch? What are you doing here? Is Reid okay?" Asked Morgan.

"He had another nightmare, and the stress on his body stopped his heart. He also broke his left wrist when he was experiencing the night terrors," said Hannah from the doorway.

"Why didn't you wake him up?" Demanded Morgan.

"I tried. I honestly tried, and then he flatlined." Aaron stormed out of the waiting room, leaving Morgan to shake his head.

"He did try, and then he watched Dr. Reid die in front of him. Forgive him for sounding a little stressed," said Hannah.

"We've all been stressed. We're all trying to be here for Reid, but it's not easy," said Morgan.

"It's not meant to be easy. You've got to rise to the challenge. How long has it been since you've had any decent sleep?" Asked Hannah. Morgan ran a hand across his head and sighed.

"I don't know... four days? I've been camped out here mostly," he replied.

"Go back to your hotel, and get some decent sleep. One of your other agents is coming to sit with Spencer, and we'll go from there. We're not here to treat and send you away; this is ICU. We know the patients who are here usually require a lot from their friends and family, and we look after you too. Now go and at least have a decent nights sleep," ordered Hannah. Morgan stood and stretched before heading down the corridor, passing Rossi on his way out.

"Night Morgan," called Rossi. He continued on to Spencer's room, where he found the orthopedics specialist wrapping Reid's wrist.

"Kid, what did you do now?" Whispered Rossi.

"He's been sedated; he's having violent nightmares, and this broken wrist was the result of the last one. For now, he's sleeping. Who knows how he'll be in the morning," commented the specialist. He finished up and cleared out, leaving Rossi alone with Reid.

"What am I going to do Reid? I've just found out I'm a father. Me. The guy who can't even stay married! Do I keep her? Do I adopt her out? Do I foster her until I can work out my own life?" Rossi knew Reid couldn't answer him, but he didn't feel he could be open with anyone else. Not yet anyway.

"I think I'm going to keep her, because I've had enough of watching kids bounce around the foster system, hoping they'll find their chance. I can't adopt her out; she might end up with a psychotic family, and she's had enough of that in her life so far. I... I don't know what to do," whispered Rossi.

_He wished there was an easy answer._


	8. Making Plans

**Chapter Eight - Making Plans**

Spencer woke up nearly eight hours later, feeling more refreshed than he had earlier. He cracked his eyes open, and saw Emily asleep on the chair next to him. He tried to move his arms, and found himself restrained.

"Emily. Emily," he whispered. She snapped awake almost instantly as Spencer started pulling against the velcro restraints.

"Hey. It's okay; you were having some serious nightmares, and they decided to restrain you. You've broken your wrist during one of the nightmares," yawned Emily. Spencer felt trapped and afraid, and he started to struggle again.

"Get them off. Please, Liam, don't tie me up," said Spencer, tears of fright running down his face. Emily ripped open the restraints, and Spencer wrapped his arms around Emily, sobbing. Emily carefully put her arms around Spencer, being mindful of his back. After a little while, his sobbing subsided, and he settled down.

"What's going on in your head?" Asked Emily. He clutched her hand, refusing to let go.

"I want JJ," he admitted quietly.

"I'll go and get her for you, okay?" Replied Emily. Spencer nodded, and Emily released him, leaving the room. Spencer tried to curl up.

_He couldn't tell them that he was afraid of being alone._

_Afraid of his dreams._

_Afraid to close his eyes._

JJ walked into the room to find Spencer crying. She sat on the bed next to him.

"Oh Spence. Talk to me," encouraged JJ.

"I'm scared," he whispered.

"You've been through a lot Spencer. It's okay to be scared. I get scared every time I have to leave Henry and Will to go and do something with you guys. I'm afraid I won't come home to them, that someone will take Henry away from me. It's okay to be afraid. You need to trust us. We'll look after you Spencer, you know that," said JJ. Spencer wiped the tears away awkwardly, sniffling a little.

"How's Riley doing?" Asked Spencer, changing the subject.

"She's doing well. She's graduated into the nursery with all the other babies, and she'll be able to leave when we do on Friday," said JJ.

"How's Rossi doing?" Asked Spencer.

"He's a little shaken up. He's still trying to decide what he's going to do, but at least he's talking to us now. We're working through our options together. How are you feeling about the results of the paternity test?" Asked JJ. Spencer shrugged, wincing as a bolt of pain coursed it's way through his injured back.

"With a life as messed up as mine, a child is not something I can deal with. I'm still struggling to look after Diana; I couldn't have devoted enough time to Riley to raise her. Rossi's got the money to support her as well; most of my paycheck goes to supporting Diana," said Reid. JJ kissed him gently on the forehead.

"You'll still be an amazing Uncle to her. Garcia won't let her out of her sight anyway, and she'll be one of the best dressed babies in Quantico," said JJ, smiling.

"When did everything become so complicated?" Asked Spencer, starting to drift off.

"I don't know Spence, but we'll survive," said JJ softly. She stroked his hair gently, watching as his eyes closed. He was asleep in minutes, and JJ watched as he slept. He reminded her of Henry, afraid of the dark, afraid of being alone; all she wanted to do was look after him. She heard the door open, and Rossi came inside.

"How's he doing?" Asked Dave.

"He's afraid, but he'll pull through. He's just fallen asleep; I'm hoping he won't wake up for a little while. He needs to sleep," said JJ quietly.

"Can you... can you come down to the nursery with me?" Asked Rossi hesitantly.

"Sure. Emily's due to come back any minute, and then I'll come down with you," agreed JJ. Rossi paced the room, clearly nervous, and JJ watched as he crossed from side to side.

"Knock, knock! Oh. He's asleep again," said Emily.

"Rossi and I are going for a walk. Do you mind sitting with him?" Asked JJ. Emily pulled a book out of her bag.

"I'll be right. You two go," assured Emily. She sat down next to Spencer and pulled out her novel. Rossi left the room at warp speed, and JJ followed.

"Dave, slow down," called JJ. He slowed enough for her to catch up, and then continued on to the nursery. He stopped outside the window, and looked inside at the rows of babies.

"Which one is she?" Asked Dave. JJ looked in, and then pointed out the third crib in the first row.

"She's there Dave," said JJ softly. As Dave laid eyes on his daughter, he felt his heart melt. She was perfect, an adorable little chubby baby.

"She's beautiful JJ," whispered Dave.

"Did you want to hold her?" Asked JJ.

"Can I?" Asked Dave. JJ nodded, and led him into the nursery. Garcia had left a tiny stuffed lion in Riley's crib, and JJ smiled at it.

"Garcia left Leo the Lion behind," she commented. JJ wrapped Riley up carefully, and motioned for Dave to take a seat. She passed Riley over to him, and pulled over another chair.

"What do I do with her JJ? I can't look after her," admitted Rossi.

"What do you want to do?" Asked JJ.

"I want to keep her, but with a job like mine at the BAU, I can't. I don't know if I can make it work," said Rossi.

"Will and I have a solution, if you're willing," suggested JJ nervously.

"What is it?" Asked Rossi, intrigued.

"Closed adoption; Will and I can adopt Riley," said JJ quietly.

"You're willing to do that?" Said Rossi incredulously.

"We've talked about it; we've been trying since Henry was a year old, and I keep miscarrying. You can still stay in her life, and Henry gets a little sister," said JJ, glancing down. Rossi carefully held Riley in one arm, and put the other on JJ's knee.

"I'd love you to be Riley's adoptive parents. I know she'd be loved and cared for with you and Will, and I'm happy to put together a trust fund for both Henry and Riley. It's the least I can do," said Rossi earnestly. He knew he couldn't take care of a child, but he did want to be a part of her life. This was the best solution that anyone could have come up with. Riley started to complain in his arms, and he became uncomfortable. He passed her over to JJ, who cradled the child to her chest.

"Shh. It's alright," she soothed. Rossi watched as the baby cuddled against JJ's chest and fell asleep almost instantly. JJ was natural mother material, and Rossi knew he couldn't have picked a better parent. JJ sat back in her chair and closed her eyes, and fell asleep. Rossi draped a blanket over JJ and Riley, and left them to sleep.

_He had adoption paperwork to write up._

* * *

A week later, it was D-day for Riley and Reid. Time to go back to Quantico, and start the healing process again. JJ had Riley dressed in a little pink onesie complete with bunny ears, and had her tucked inside a baby carrier. Reid was in a wheelchair, nervously twisting his loose shirt in his scarred hands. Morgan and Hotch brought around the two SUVs; they would head to the airport and catch a flight to Quantico. Garcia, JJ and Riley climbed into Morgan's SUV, whilst Rossi and Hotch lifted Reid into the back seat. He was visibly shaking, nervous about being outside the safe confines of the hospital. Emily had originally planned to go with the other girls and Morgan, but as she;d gone to climb in to the vehicle, she'd caught sight of Reid's panicked face. Now she was seated in the backseat of the dark SUV, one hand holding onto Reid's, trying to reassure him.

"We'll be at the airstrip in five minutes, okay?" Assured Emily. Reid nodded, try to use the calming breathing techniques that he'd read about somewhere. They weren't helping though. They made it to the airstrip, and as Rossi opened the back door to help Reid out, Reid leaned out the door and threw up. Once he'd finished, he leaned against the seat and cried. He hated feeling weak, and all that Liam had done was highlight his weaknesses, the same why Tobias had. JJ, Morgan, Garcia and Riley pulled up behind them, and JJ rushed over, leaving Riley with Garcia.

"Spence, are you okay?" She asked, carefully avoiding the disastrous puddle on the ground.

"I just want to go home," he sobbed, and JJ's heart went out to him. He'd had his world turned upside down when Tobias had taken him, now Liam had turned it 180 degrees the other way. She could understand the confusion; Spencer liked his life to be in a semblance of order, and Tobias and Liam had changed that. She pulled him close into a hug, and surprisingly, he didn't pull away. Instead he sank into the hug, and JJ soothed him with soft words. Rossi and Hotch stood back a little, watching the interaction; it was the same way siblings would comfort each other. After a few moments, she pulled away a little.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"I panicked," he admitted.

"Over what?" She asked, a little confused.

"Being trapped in a small space, and no real way of escape without injury," said Spencer.

"Will you be okay to fly?" Asked Hotch, listening in.

"I need to get back to Quantico. I can't stay here any longer, and the drive back will take days. I'm coming on that jet, even if you have to sedate me," said Spencer fiercely.

"Alright. So be it. Morgan, Garcia, you two board with Riley. We'll sort Reid out if you can leave one of the recliners at the back free," said Hotch.

"What about the lounge? Then we can all keep an eye on him," suggested Garcia.

"Good idea. You two get it set up, and we'll get him up there," said Rossi. JJ steped away from Reid, allowing the two men in to help. He stiffened in fear as they lifted him out of the vehicle, and JJ could see him starting to hyperventilate.

"Stop, stop, stop!" she exclaimed. She and Emily ran forward as Rossi and Hotch stood still, Reid still hanging between them. It was then Hotch realised that Reid was in trouble. JJ glanced at Emily, and they silently agreed that JJ would be the one to check on him.

"Spence, talk to me," urged JJ.

"He's taking me back to the basement. Him and his friend. He had a friend JJ, why didn't we ever find the friend?" Asked Reid, part of a memory coming back to him, along with a dawning realisation.

"Oh God, Liam wasn't the only one!" Exclaimed Emily. Spencer shook his head.

"Spencer, we're going to move you. Emily and I are going to help you instead, but Hotch and Rossi will stand by just in case we need your help, okay?" Asked JJ. Spencer nodded, and as Emily moved forward, she wondered if Spencer Reid would ever be the same. It was slow getting to the plane, but Spencer forged ahead, taking one slow step at a time. When he finally made it inside the cabin, they laid him on the couch. He rested his head on the pillow and closed his eyes. Sleep overpowered him almost instantly, and JJ covered him with a blanket. She moved away to sit in one of the other armchairs, and rested her head in her hands.

"Liam had an accomplice. Where's the accomplice?" She asked.

"The UnSub had an accomplice? It wasn't in his profile," said Morgan defensively.

"Reid remembers two men carrying him inside Liam's house to the basement. So where's the other man?"

* * *

**So I'm enjoying this so far, and I've had quite a few brainwaves for what's to come - yay! So stay tuned, click that review button, give me some love, and I'll give you another chapter!**

**~MissShawnaAlice~**


	9. On Our Way

**Chapter Nine - On Our Way**

Reid was dreaming, and the BAU team were watching him carefully. He twitched under the blanket, and moaned a little.

"What's he dreaming about?" Asked Emily.

"Who knows? The night he was taken, he was dreaming about Tobias," said Morgan quietly.

"Should we wake him up?" Asked Rossi.

"Sometimes it runs its course, and he keeps sleeping. Sometimes though..." Aaron trailed off. The plane shuddered as they fought through turbulence, and Rossi ducked up front to talk to the co-pilot. Morgan glanced back at JJ, and smiled.

"She's asleep with Riley," said Morgan, chuckling a little.

"And so she should. She's Riley's adoptive parent now; Rossi signed the paperwork before we left," said Aaron quietly.

"I so wanna be there when JJ tells Henry," said Garcia excitedly before disappearing into the bathrooms. Reid's whimpering from the couch became louder.

"I can't take this anymore," said Aaron. He got up and sat next to Reid, stroking his hair. He couldn't ask JJ to do this; she was about to take a newborn baby home, and Hotch could remember exactly what it was like, and knew she needed her rest.

"Reid. Reid, you need to wake up," said Aaron wearily. Morgan got up; he remembered what happened last time he himself had woken up. The sweat rolled off Reid, and Emily recognised the same terror crossing his features as the last time he'd woken up and thrown up all over her.

"This could get messy," said Emily. Aaron shook Reid again, and he sat bolt upright, screaming. JJ's eyes snapped open, and she clutched Riley to her chest. Garcia bolted out of the bathrooms and covered her ears, watching on as Reid let the entire plane know of his fear. The scream petered out and he started gasping for air. Seconds later his stomach lurched, and he heaved into the vomit bag Emily held in front of him. Riley started crying, and JJ passed her onto Garcia, then headed over to Spencer. Aaron and Morgan pulled away, allowing the two girls room to soothe him. He'd become more awkward and uncomfortable around the the males in team, every touch from them reminding him of Liam and his accomplice, and whilst still uncomfortable with JJ and Emily, would allow them to touch him. JJ sat behind him, carefully rubbing his back. Emily crouched next to him.

"It's alright Spence, you're okay," said JJ gently. The stress was rolling off Reid in waves, and JJ could feel him shaking under her hands.

"Hotch, can you get a washcloth from the bathroom please?" Asked Emily softly. Hotch nodded, and disappeared into the tiny bathroom. He returned moments later with a damp hand towel, and passed it to Emily. She wiped Reid's wet face, cooling him down and cleaning him up.

"What was it this time?" Asked Emily.

"Pain. Liam w...w...was torturing me again. He b...broke every bone in my body," said Spencer, hiccuping a little. JJ pulled him close, smoothing back his hair.

"It's okay Spence. We're all here and Liam is dead," reminded Emily softly. Spencer nodded his head.

"I know; my brain just can't wrap around that. Everytime I close my eyes, I can see him leering at me, brandishing a knife, and I panic. I start trying to run away, and I can't move, I can't breathe, and then he starts stabbing me," replied Reid. He winced as he shifted, and Morgan noticed.

"Did you want some more pain meds?" He asked. Reid shook his head.

"No more medications," said Reid, determined.

"It's okay to take a little pain medication. The pain will wear you down quickly if you don't," said Morgan gently.

"No more! No more," he said fiercely. JJ glanced at Morgan, and shook her head imperceptibly. Morgan backed off as Rossi came back into the main cabin. He didn't even ask what was going on, just sat back down in his chair.

"We should be back in Virginia in half an hour," he said, returning to his laptop. Reid gripped JJ's hand, and glanced at Emily.

"What's going to happen in Virginia?" Asked Spencer quietly.

"Will's picking Riley and I up, and we'll pick up Henry from daycare. We wanted to find out who you wanted to stay with or who you wanted to go home with you before we decided anything," said JJ.

"I don't want to be a burden," murmured Reid. He felt a tear course down his cheek, and he hurriedly wiped it away.

"Reid, you're not a burden. Any one of us would jump at the chance to look after you; you're a part of our family. JJ would do it, but she's got a beautiful baby girl to look after, and believe me, I think she got the rough end of the deal. At least you can tell me what you want," said Emily, smiling at Spencer.

"I... I don't know who I want to stay with," said Reid, toying with his own hands again.

"You can stay with me Pretty Boy," said Morgan. JJ felt Reid press himself against her, and she knew instantly that it wasn't a good idea. Morgan, Aaron and Rossi didn't miss it.

"You can come back to my apartment if you want. There's enough space for you to be alone if you want, or if you want company, I'll be around. Would that work?" Asked Emily. Spencer visibly relaxed, and nodded.

"As long as you're sure I won't be a bother," he said, still worried.

"Reid, you're not. It'll be nice to have some company in the house for a while; Sergio's pretty quiet," she answered. The plane dipped, heading into the final descent, and Reid struggled to sit straighter. Emily helped him up and sat next to him, and JJ watched on, still concerned.

"Once we land, we've got to take a car back to my place, okay? But we'll be fine; we can wind the windows down if you're feeling claustrophobic," suggested Emily. Reid nodded.

"Who will drive?" He asked nervously.

"I will; I need to head to the BAU afterwards to grab some paperwork. I don't mind dropping you off," said Morgan.

"There you have it. And then we can settle in, and maybe I'll see if I can fatten you up a little bit. Have you always been thin?" Asked Emily. Reid nodded, and then focused on the strange sensation of landing. It was always odd to him, but with his currently heightened awareness of everything, it made his stomach uncomfortable. He held a hand up to his mouth, determined to not throw up again.

"Reid, if you need to be sick, you can be," said Emily quietly. Reid needed no further permission; he grabbed the offered bag and retched. As the plane touched down, it leveled out, and Reid felt his stomach stop twisting. It was still queasy, but nowhere near where it was before.

"Alright. Garcia, you take Riley off the plane, Aaron, you and I will head back to the BAU with Garcia once she's done. Morgan, you can get the other SUV ready, and JJ and Emily can get Spencer off the jet. Got it?" Everyone nodded, and split up. Soon there was only Emily, JJ and Spencer left behind. He could feel the heat leaving the jet, and he started to shiver.

"You cold?" Asked Emily. Spencer nodded, teeth chattering, and Emily pulled the polar fleece blanket around him.

"Are you ready?" Asked JJ.

"I think so," replied Spencer. They stood up, and slowly took the steps down onto the runway. The area had been cleared of any non-essential personnel, and there were two black SUVs waiting, along with Will's van. Henry and Will were standing next to the van, and as soon as he spotted his mother and Uncle Spencer, Henry ran across the tarmac before Will could grab him.

"Unca Spence! Unca Spence!" He yelled happily. JJ tried to grab her son before he grabbed Reid, but it was too late. The three year old crashed into Spencer's legs, and Spencer moaned painfully, the bruises flaring. If JJ and Emily hadn't held him up, he would have collapsed on the ground. Even so, they struggled to keep him upright. Morgan heard the tiny voice, and whipped around just to see Henry run into Reid. He jogged over to join them, and hoisted the little boy into the air.

"What about Uncle Derek?" He asked, tickling the little boy. He walked him back over to Will, who was very apologetic.

"I'm so sorry Derek. I had no idea Spencer was in such a bad way, and Henry's so much faster than I thought," apologised Will.

"Don't worry about it. Listen, Jayje will be over in a minute, and then you guys can head home," said Morgan, distracted. He watched as they got Reid inside the car, and then JJ headed over to her husband and son. She crouched down in front of Henry.

"Henry, you know how you've always wanted a brother or a sister?" Asked JJ. He nodded solemnly.

"Well, when Mommy was away, she found a little girl who had no mommy, and after talking with her daddy, he's letting her come and live with you!" Explained JJ.

"I have a sister?" Asked Henry incredulously. JJ nodded as Garcia bought over the baby carrier. JJ lifted out the tiny baby dressed in pink, and showed Riley to her son.

"Her name is Riley, and she's going to live with us forever. Do you think you can be a good big brother?" Asked JJ. Henry puffed out his chest.

"I can be the bestest!" He exclaimed, and Garcia smiled.

"You four have fun; I'm heading back to the BAU with the no fun patrol to do some more work. Take care!" Garcia gave Henry a quick hug, and then walked away. Morgan high-fived Henry.

"I gotta go take care of Uncle Spencer, okay? But I'll come visit one day," promised Morgan.

"Okay Unca Derek. I'm gonna help Momma with Riley," he said happily.

"You'll be the best big brother, don't you worry." Morgan farewelled Will and JJ, then headed over to the SUV. As he climbed in, a heatwave hit him.

"Jeesh guys, how warm do you want it in here?" Asked Morgan.

"He's asleep and he's not dreaming, so I'd say... about this warm," said Emily's voice.

"So the trick is keep him so warm that he can't dream?" Joked Morgan.

"I guess so," replied Emily.

"Listen, if you need anything, let me know. I can be there in five minutes flat if you need me," said Morgan.

"Thanks, but I'm hoping I can just get him back on his feet. All his routines are out, and I'm sure that's not helping. Keep me posted on anything at the BAU, and I'll be there if you need me. Don't want Strauss breathing down our necks," said Emily.

"She won't be a problem; Hotch and Rossi are taking care of that. You just concentrated on looking after Reid," said Derek. He glanced in the rearview mirror and swore.

"Damnit! Come on," he said through gritted teeth.

"What is it?" Asked Emily.

"Guy behind me has been tailgating me since we left the airport, and I just can't shake him," said Morgan. He changed lanes, overtook another car, then switched back into their original lane.

"He's backing off now," said Morgan, almost sighing in relief.

"Oh thank God," said Emily softly. Reid stirred beside her, and sat up.

"Wha..." A loud crash silenced his question as the SUV was practically pushed off the road. It careened into the smal bushland reserve by the road, Morgan swearing as he fought for control.

He never gained control, and the SUV was stopped by a tree. Morgan and Emily were restrained by their seat belts.

_Spencer was not._

He careened through the windshield like a rag doll, and laid on the steaming crumpled hood, glass fragments like morbid sparkles littering the ground.

_He didn't move._

Morgan was unconscious, his legs pinned by the steering column, his head dripping blood where he had smacked it on the steering wheel.

_He didn't move._

Emily stirred after a few moments, her body aching where the seatbelt had tightened.

"Spence? Derek?" She called.

_No answer._

She fumbled for her phone, and dialing the first number that came to mind. He picked up second ring.

"Prentiss, I though you were supposed to be home looking after Reid," said Aaron. Emily could feel the panic rising in her throat as she tried to stay calm.

"Hotc... Aaron, we've been in an accident."

* * *

**_A/N - I'm loving this, and I love you all for reading! Thank you! I'd love more reviews though if at all possible - I might be more inclined to update more frequently if that happened!_**

**_If not, thank you for your love anyway! There is still plenty more to come._**

**_~MissShawnaAlice~_**


	10. On the Road to Somewhere

**Chapter Ten - On the Road to Somewhere**

Emily fought against her seatbelt, feeling her head swimming as she moved.

"Reid? Morgan!" She called, trying to wake them up. Neither of them moved, the only sign they were still alive being that they their chests were rising and falling. She finally freed herself from the SUV, and opened the door. She fell to the grass, and stumbled upright.

"Prentiss!" Called Hotch's voice.

"Down here!" She replied. She pulled herself up on the driver side door, and reached in to touch Morgan.

"Derek. Wake up," she said softly. She turned to see Hotch and Rossi coming down the slope, Garcia waiting up the top.

"Go up to Garcia. We'll stay with Morgan and Reid until Emergency Services get here, okay?" Said Hotch.

"No, I nee..."

"Emily, you need to go up to Penelope. Now," said Hotch firmly. Emily wanted to fight to stay, but the look in Aaron's eyes told her she needed to go up to Garcia. She fumbled her way up the slope, grasping at grass bushes to pull herself up.

"Emily?" Garcia put out a hand and pulled her up the last step before sitting her on the road. Emily held a hand to her head, the dizziness almost overwhelming.

"What happened?" Asked Garcia.

"We were being tailgated by some guy, and then Morgan thought he lost him, and next thing, we're down there," babbled Emily. A siren made her jump as an ambulance team showed up, then another, and finally the fire brigade.

"Why are the firies here?" Asked Emily, confused.

"It's a vehicle accident honey. If there's a chance that the fuel tank could rupture or be ruptured, then they need to be here. They might have to cut Morgan out of the SUV as well," said Garcia. An EMT started down the slope, but was quickly turned back by his superior. He jogged back up to Emily.

"Agent Prentiss?" He asked. Emily nodded.

"I'm just going to check you over, and then we'll take you to the hospital, okay?" Said the EMT patiently.

"No, I can't go. I need to be here for Reid and Morgan," she exclaimed.

"Agents Reid and Morgan are being well looked after ma'am. My priority right now is to get you checked over." Emily nodded, resigning herself to the fact she may not be able to stay.

"Garcia, go down and make sure Reid is attended to by female EMTs," said Emily as she was led away to an ambulance.

"I'm on it Em. Stay safe," called Garcia. She watched as another team of EMT's headed down the hill, and she followed them down carefully. They'd cut Morgan out of the car by the time she made it down, and she watched as a medical team carried him up to an ambulance. She felt tears prick the corners of her eyes as she watched him go, then turned to Rossi and Hotch.

"Emily wanted you to make sure that Reid has a female EMT team. I think she's frightened of what he might do if he's surrounded by males," said Garcia. Hotch glanced at Rossi.

"It's too late for that; Reid's been taken by a male team," said Hotch quietly.

"We need to get to the hospital," said Garcia, concerned about what her traumatised friend might do. Hotch nodded, and they headed back up to their SUV. Rossi pulled out his cell, dialing a number.

"Who are you calling?" Asked Hotch.

"CSU; I want to know everything I can about the bastard that did this," said Rossi.

"Are you wanting to come with us, or stay with CSU?" Asked Hotch. Rossi raised a hand, and spoke briefly on the phone before hanging up.

"I'll come with you guys, and leave the PD unit here with CSU," decided Rossi. He followed Garcia and Hotch to the SUV, and they headed to the hospital.

_Hoping that Morgan, Prentiss and Reid were okay..._

* * *

"And he's awake! Derek, my name is Lisa; how are you feeling?" Asked a paramedic.

"Ughh," he answered, raising a hand to touch his aching head. The paramedic pulled it down again.

"Don't touch it Derek, you've split your head open a little. Do you remember what happened?" Asked the paramedic. Derek fought to remember, and came up blank. He glanced back at her.

"It's okay. You've split your head open and it'll need stitches. It's holding together at the moment, but you need to be careful. The good news is your legs are only bruised, not broken or crushed. They'll ache for a little while though," said Lisa, smiling. Morgan smiled back at her for a moment, before the smile fell off his face.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Where's Reid?" He replied.

"Your friend? He's been taken in another ambulance," answered Lisa, checking his IV.

"Please tell me there's at least one female on his team," begged Morgan. Lisa looked confused, and then tapped her partners seat.

"Murray, who was on with Jackson tonight?" She asked.

"Caleb was with Jackson; they took the skinny kid," replied Murray, focussing on the road.

"Oh no. Listen, I don't care how you do it, but you need to radio ahead and let them know they need to be careful. He's suffering PTSD, and he's particularly sensitive to touch right now, especially male," said Morgan.

"I'll radio. Alpha One to Alpha Three; Jackson, you there?" Asked Murray. Silence enveloped them, and Morgan knew something was up.

"How far ahead were they?" Asked Morgan.

"Only a few minutes," answered Lisa.

"They've stopped up ahead," called Murray. He pulled over to the shoulder. The ambulance was empty, both EMT's and Reid missing.

"Is there someone you could call who could help him?" Lisa asked Morgan desperately.

"If you've got a phone, I know someone who could probably help him," said Morgan. Lisa handed him her phone, then climbed out after Murray. Morgan dialed one girl he knew could help.

"Jayje, it's Morgan. I know you've only just got home and you want to spend some time with your husband and beautiful kids, but we've got a bit of a situation here," said Morgan seriously as soon as JJ picked up the phone.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I don't really remember, but we had to be taken away in ambulances. Reid had two male EMT's, and right now, we're near the ambulance he was in with no EMT's and no Reid. Can you help?" Asked Morgan.

"Of course. Tell me where you are, and I'll be there as soon as possible," said JJ. Morgan rattled off directions.

"I'm going to ring Hotch next, and see if he's got any other idea's," said Morgan.

"Good idea. You're only five minutes away. I'll be there shortly," promised JJ.

"See you soon JJ." Morgan hung up, and was about to ring Hotch when they pulled up behind the ambulance. Hotch, Rossi and Garcia climbed out of the car.

"Morgan!" Exclaimed Garcia. She launched herself inside the ambulance, and took his hand in hers.

"Don't scare me like that again," she whispered.

"I'm sorry baby girl," apologised Morgan.

"Morgan, what's going on?" Asked Rossi.

"They sent Reid with two male EMTs, and now all three of them are missing," said Morgan.

"Right. I'm finding someone to go back with you; that head needs stitching, and Prentiss will be freaking out," said Hotch. He disappeared into the scrub, and after a few moments, returned with Murray and another paramedic Morgan didn't recognise.

"You two take him back to the hospital now. I need Lisa and Caleb here," said Hotch forcefully. The two EMTs nodded, and Hotch watched as they left. Garcia ended up staying with them, glancing back as JJ pulled up. She got out, and looked at Hotch.

"I need to know Reid is okay," she whispered. Hotch nodded, and glanced at JJ. She was the best at organising a search.

"Right. We need a female to each team, and a BAU member where possible. Garcia, can you go with Caleb please?" Garcia nodded, and moved over to her partner.

"Lisa, I'll get you to go with Rossi, and I'll go with Hotch," said JJ.

"What's the plan?" Asked Rossi.

"He won't have gotten far; he's injured, both from the incident in Illinois and this accident. He's not good on his legs, and he doesn't appreciate being touched by males. If you're going to make a move, tell him what you're going to do, and make sure that the female member in your team is the one to make contact," said JJ.

"If he's bleeding, we won't have time to waste; he needs to go to the hospital. We didn't get much of a chance to assess him," said Caleb.

"That's fine; let's get out and look for him. He's likely going to be very cold as well, and he may be suffering a delusion. Look out for him," said JJ. The teams nodded, and they fanned out from where they were. Reid being out in the bush didn't bode well, and JJ was reminded of how they found him when he was being tortured. She shivered a little, and Hotch noticed.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly.

"Just concerned for Reid. He doesn't do well outdoors," she replied. Aaron nodded.

"We'll find him Jayje. Don't worry," said Aaron. He heard a low moan from a nearby bush, and stopped JJ.

"Did you hear that?" He asked. She nodded, and Hotch motioned for her to step forward.

"Spence? It's JJ. Where are you?" She called. She noticed blood on the ground and up a smallish tree.

"Spencer! What are you doing up there?" Asked JJ. He tried to step down, and missed his footing. He plummeted to the ground, and hit it with a solid thump, the air pushed out of his lungs. He gasped for breath for a few moments before his lungs reinflated. JJ ran across to him, stroking back his hair. Hotch left her for a few moments, and ran to find the other two teams.

"I... I was... hiding... from Liam..." gasped Spencer.

"Spence, he's not coming for you anymore. We'll look after you okay? I'll come with you in the ambulance, make sure that no-one tries to harm you. Does that sound okay?" Asked JJ. Spencer nodded, and tensed up as several sets of pounding footsteps came near him. JJ soothed him, and Lisa and Garcia were soon settled beside him.

"Spencer, my name is Lisa. I'm a paramedic, and I want to help you. I promise I won't hurt you," said Lisa gently. Spencer glanced at JJ, and she nodded. He relaxed, allowing Lisa to check him over.

"Looks like he may have a bruise on his back from where he fell, but his lungs sound good at the moment. None of his previous wounds look like they've opened up, and the only wounds he's got from the accident are small shrapnel ones. We'll get him to the hospital, and then get him patched up. Who's coming with us?" Asked Lisa.

"I will, and Caleb needs to drive," said JJ.

"I'm not going in the back with him; last time I did he lost it," said Caleb.

"Spencer, we're going to help you up, okay?" Said Lisa. He nodded, and JJ and Lisa helped lift him to his feet. JJ pulled her car keys out of her pocket, and handed them to Garcia.

"Garcia, can you drive my car to the hospital please?" She asked. Garcia nodded, and JJ headed back to the road with Spencer and Lisa. Lisa opened the back of the ambulance, and she helped Spencer up. When inside, he pressed himself against the interior, almost hyperventilating in fright. JJ took his hand in hers.

"I'm right here with you Spencer. We'll be fine. It's only ten minutes to the hospital, and then we can see Emily again, okay?" Spencer nodded.

"Is Emily okay?" He asked.

"I haven't heard from the hospital about her yet, and you're more important to me right now. Let's focus on you," said JJ softly.

"I'm sorry," he apologised. A tear streaked down his face.

"What are you sorry for?" Asked JJ.

"You just got to go home with Riley, and I'm taking you away from your time with her. I'm sorry," said Spencer, the tears really falling now.

"Spencer, if I didn't want to come, I wouldn't have come. You mean the world to me, and when Morgan calls and says you're in trouble, I want to be there help find you and take are of you," said JJ earnestly. Spencer let his head fall on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as he fell asleep. JJ sighed, wishing she could make Spencer understand that he wasn't the problem; it wasn't his fault the way things had turned out. Lisa tapped JJ carefully, pulling her out of her reverie.

"We've radioed ahead and made sure that Spencer has female nurses and doctors on his team. They've all been briefed about his condition by an Emily Prentiss, and they're waiting for you at the hospital," said Lisa. JJ smiled at her.

"Thank you," she replied.

"No worries. I hope he gets better soon," said Lisa.

"He'll get there. It'll take time," said JJ gently. They pulled up at the hospital, and Lisa opened the doors quietly. A female doctor climbed in carefully.

"You must be JJ, and that would be Spencer. I'm Dr. Sarah Carter," said the doctor warmly, taking a seat.

"Spence, it's time to wake up," said JJ softly. Spencer stirred, and flinched as he realised that there was someone else in the ambulance with him.

"Spencer, my name is Sarah, and I'm an emergency care doctor here at SNVMC. We're going to get you cleaned up, checked over and comfortable, and then perhaps we can talk about you going home," suggested Sarah. Spencer had become mute, and nodded to Sarah.

"Let's get you onto the wheelchair, and then we'll get you inside," said Sarah gently. Spencer nodded, and made his way to the door of the ambulance. He stepped out carefully, and then sat in the wheelchair. He missed the sudden movement as Sarah pulled out a hypodermic syringe, and injected him.

"Hey! What was that for?" Asked JJ.

"I don't have time to deal with difficult patients, and if he's who I think he is, he killed Noah Riley. I'm under a duty of care to give him the care he needs, but I'm not going to give him anything more. Hansen, get him inside!" Called Sarah. The male nurse wheeled an unconscious Spencer inside, and JJ felt herself start to shake with rage.

"You inconsiderate bitch," she whispered under her breath. Hotch, Rossi and Garcia ran over to her.

"Where's Spe...?"

"They drugged him Garcia. They drugged him and took him inside. No compassion from a doctor because she was friends with Noah Riley," said JJ, frustrated and angry.

"Calm down JJ. We'll file reports against the doctor if necessary, but right now, we need to make sure Reid, Morgan and Prentiss are okay, and we can go from there, alright?" Said Hotch.

"It's just hard Hotch. I want to make sure he's okay, and doctors like Sarah Carter don't help his recovery," said JJ. She headed inside, Hotch, Rossi and Garcia behind her. She headed straight to the nurses station.

"I'm looking for information on Emily Prentiss, Derek Morgan and Spencer Reid," said JJ firmly.

"Are you fa...?" The nurse was quickly cut off.

"I'm not family. They are federal agents, and I need to know where they are right now," demanded JJ. The nurse looked taken aback, and then quickly typed the names into her computer.

"Ms Prentiss is in the General Ward, and Mr Morgan and Mr Reid are currently being attended to in one of the smaller surgical wards," said the nurse hurriedly. JJ didn't even thank the woman, instead setting off down a corridor.

"Rossi, can you head to General, check up on Emily? She's probably freaking out right now," said JJ. Rather than argue with her, Rossi veered away from the froup, heading to the general wards. JJ continued on her warpath, and in moments, Hotch, Garcia and JJ found themselves in surgical. JJ grabbed a nurse on her way past.

"I'm looking for Derek Morgan and Spencer Reid," she demanded.

"Beds five and six. Eileen told me you were coming up." The young nurse left, avoiding being terrorised by JJ more. Hotch headed over to bed five first.

"Morgan, how are you feeling?" Asked Hotch.

"Got myself nine stitches to hold my head together, mild whiplash and some bruising where the steering column caved again. I feel fine," said Morgan.

"Really?" Asked Garcia, taking his hand.

"I do," he replied, giving her hand a quick squeeze.

"You can stay with me tonight," said Garcia softly.

"Thanks baby girl. How's Prentiss and Reid?" He asked.

"I'm fine, just bruising across my chest," said Emily as she appeared around the curtain.

"I thought you had to stay overnight," said Hotch. Rossi stood behind her and shrugged his shoulders.

"I asked to be discharged anyway. I can't stay in general and not know what's going on," said Emily. She winced as she inhaled, raising a hand to her ribs.

"Here, take a seat," said Garcia. Emily took it gratefully.

"Thanks Pen. Where's Reid?" She asked. Her question was answered with a piercing scream, and Hotch ripped back the curtain separating Morgan's bed from Reid's. He was restrained against the bed, an IV snaking into his arm. His eyes were closed, and JJ was desperately trying to calm him down.

"Reid, it's okay. You're safe, I swear. Liam isn't here, Noah isn't here. It's just JJ, Emily, Pen, people you know," said JJ. After a few moments, the screaming died down and his eyes opened, glistening with tears. JJ stroked his hair back gently, and he pulled at the restraints. Without a word, Rossi crossed over to Reid's bed and released the restraints; a sign to show Spencer he was no threat. Spencer watched him with wary eyes, and as soon as he was released, rolled over to face JJ.

"Can I go home now?" He asked quietly. JJ kept stroking back his hair.

"I'll get you out of here, okay?" Said JJ softly. He nodded, and took her hand in his. He felt safe and secure and his eyes started closing on their own accord.

"So where is he going to stay?" Asked JJ once she realised that Spencer was indeed asleep.

"He can still stay with me," offered Emily.

"And you're injured yourself. You shouldn't be home alone with your injuries; what if Spencer needs more than just waking up?" Asked JJ.

"You two can stay with me. JJ needs to be at home with Will, Henry and Riley, Hotch needs his rest, Garcia already said she'd look after Morgan, and I have the biggest house. Emily can be there, and I can watch both of them," said Rossi.

"Are you sure? You hate having people over; remember when we came over for that barbecue?" Reminded Emily.

"Don't tempt me; I could have easily said no. I'm saying yes because we still have an UnSub on the loose that we need to track down, and we all need our rest. You need to know that Reid and Emily are okay, and I'm the best option. They can come home with me," said Rossi firmly. The decision made, JJ sought out nurses and doctors, and after giving them a piece of her mind, had them discharge all three agents. Reid was finding it harder to stand up, his weary body unable to handle the stress, and he was leaning heavily on Rossi. He was uncomfortable with his close proximity to the man, but he had no choice.

"Alright, I'll take Garcia and Morgan with me and drop them off on the way back to my place," said JJ tiredly.

"I'll take Rossi, Emily and Reid and drop them off, and then I'll head to my place. Take a couple of days; if you do want to work, you can do reports. Right now though, I think everyone needs to get some rest. I'll deal with Strauss, and I'll see you in a couple of days. I'll see you Thursday," said Hotch. They nodded, and then split up. JJ, Garcia and Morgan headed to JJ's car, and Hotch opened up the SUV. Rossi and Emily wrestled in the nearly comatose Reid, and Emily joined him in the backseat. He was curled up, and his head rested on Emily's lap.

"I hope he can get some sleep," said Rossi, climbing into the front seat. Hotch pulled away.

"I hope he's okay; he's been through so much," said Emily softly. The seatbelt tightened uncomfortably on her chest, and she thanked her lucky stars that Rossi's mansion wasn't far away from SNVMC. Reid slept fitfully, occasionally murmuring in his sleep.

"Maybe we can get him to actually sleep tonight," said Rossi. They pulled up out the front of Rossi's house, and Hotch killed the engine.

"Did you want help getting him inside?" Asked Hotch quietly. Rossi looked back at the sleeping agent, and at Emily, who was slowing dozing off against the door.

"Some help would be appreciated. If we can get Reid upstairs first, I can stay with him, and you can help Emily inside," suggested Rossi. Hotch nodded, and together they helped Reid out of the car, and upstairs. He gave little assistance, his body almost dragging.

"Lucky he's light, otherwise he'd be sleeping on the couch," grunted Hotch. Rossi agreed, and pushed open the first guest bedroom. He left Reid with Hotch for a moment, and pulled down the bedcovers. He returned to Hotch, and they got him into bed. Hotch pulled the covers over him carefully, and Rossi turned on the ensuite bathroom light. He knew that Reid had a fear of the dark, and he didn't want Reid to wake up terrified.

"I'll go and get Emily's room ready if you want to wake her up," said Rossi quietly. Hotch nodded and disappeared down the stairs. Rossi pulled Reid's door half-closed, then moved to the second guest room, and set up the room in the same way as Reid's. He wanted them to be comfortable, and this was the best way he knew how. He glanced up as Hotch brought Emily; she was walking a little more than Reid was, but not much more. She slipped under the covers and pulled them close. Rossi and Hotch left the room.

"Thanks," said Rossi simply.

"No worries. Keep me posted on them," said Hotch. Rossi nodded, and showed Hotch out. After he'd left, he poured himself a small glass of red wine, needing to wind down a little after the hectic two weeks he'd had. He sat in the lounge, book in hand, and before he realised, he was asleep.

Rossi was awoken two hours later by a muffled thump from the first guest bedroom; Reid's room. He shot up, and headed upstairs to check on Reid. He knocked quietly on the door, and found an embarrassed Reid tangled in his sheets.

"I'm sorry. I was having a nightmare, and I woke up and tried to get up..." Spencer stopped as Rossi came over to help him. He tensed up, but allowed the man to gently disengage him from the mess. Rossi helped him back up onto the bed, and pulled the blankets back over.

"Try and get some sleep, okay?" Reid nodded, and drifted off again. Rossi walked out and headed up the hall to his own bedroom, stopping to check on Prentiss as walked past. She was still asleep in the same position they'd left her in earlier, and he smiled before heading to his own bedroom.

_Everything was as it should be..._

_What goes up must come down, and right now, life was precariously balanced at the crest of the rollercoaster ride; they still had to come down..._

* * *

**So I've still got more to write (and yes, this was a little more of a filler chapter), and it's not only going to be Reid-whump!**

**Please review, and feel free to PM me if you have any questions/issues/ideas!**

**Stay tuned for more craziness, and let's see how much more I can put the BAU team through before this is over - there is still Liam's crazy accomplice friend out there to track down!**

**~MissShawnaAlice~**


	11. Counting Down

**A/N - Now added to the list is rape. Please be warned!**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven-Counting Down**

Two nights later, Garcia woke up to her phone ringing, and looked at it, confused for a moment.

_Who would be ringing at three in the morning?_

Garcia rolled over, and picked up the cell phone.

"Hello?" She answered sleepily.

"Say goodbye," rasped a voice.

"What?" She asked, sitting up in bed. If she wasn't awake before, she definitely was now. The line went dead, and Garcia could feel herself freaking out. She flung the covers off her bed, and padded out into the loungeroom. She breathed a sigh of relief as she realised that Morgan was still on her couch, fast asleep. She crouched down next to him.

"Morgan?" She whispered. His dark eyes snapped open, and he looked at Penelope.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly.

"I just needed to know you're okay," replied Garcia.

"You know I am baby girl. I'm on your couch; I'm not going anywhere," said Derek.

"I know. But I just had a weird phonecall," said Garcia. The unfamiliar voice had rattled her more than she wanted to admit.

"What kind of weird?" Asked Morgan, sitting up. He patted the couch next to him, and Garcia joined him.

"I picked up the phone, and a voice told me to 'say goodbye.' I don't understand," said Garcia. Morgan pulled her close and kissed her forehead.

"Don't you worry about it, okay? Get some sleep," suggested Morgan. Garcia nodded, and pushed herself up from the couch.

"I'm afraid Morgan. Everyday, I'm afraid I'm going to lose one of you, and never get you back. I've already lost Elle and Gideon. I can't lose any of you," said Garcia. Morgan watched as his favourite girl broke down in front of him, and before he knew it, he was standing in front of her.

"Hey. No more tears. You're not going to lose us, okay? We're all still here," assured Morgan, embracing the tech analyst. She sobbed against his chest, and Morgan realised how much of a toll the past few weeks had been for her.

"Come on," he said softly, and he led her into her bedroom. He pulled back her bedcovers, and she slipped under the sheets. Morgan laid next to her, and put an arm over her.

"You're safe. We're all safe," he whispered, drifting off to sleep. Garcia pressed herself against him, and joined his slumber.

* * *

Riley was screaming. Again. Will rolled over and started to get up, but JJ stopped him.

"You need to get some sleep. I'll go check on her," said JJ wearily. She pulled on her robe and padded down to the nursery where Henry and Riley were sharing a room. Henry was sitting up in his bed, hair mussed, eyes filled with sleep.

"Mama, Riley's crying," he whispered.

"I know baby. I'm going to take her outside for a little while. You go back to sleep, okay?" She whispered. Henry nodded, and snuggled back under his blankets, allowing JJ to kiss him on the forehead. She turned around to Riley, her face red from screaming. JJ picked her up, cradling her to her chest, and wrapped the robe around both of them. Riley continued crying, and JJ moved into the loungeroom. She flicked on the TV, and took a seat on a lounge, still holding Riley. As JJ's heart slowed down, Riley's crying did too, her crying ceasing as JJ's rhythmic heartbeat lulled her to sleep. JJ marveled at the tiny girl on her chest, her dark hair, her beautiful eyes, her tiny fingers. JJ rested her head back on the lounge, and soon found herself drifting off to sleep. She was woken up almost an hour later by Henry joining her. He flipped on the TV, and JJ realised it was six in the morning. Riley was still sleeping on her chest, and JJ stood up. She shuffled to the bedroom where Will was still sleeping, and she passed the sleeping bundle to him. Without even opening his eyes, he took the baby and fell back asleep. JJ shook her head at her husband; he'd quit his job to look after Henry and now Riley, and yet he was the one still sleeping in. She padded back out to the kitchen, and poured Henry a bowl of cereal.

"Mommy going to catch the bad guys today?" He asked, entering the kitchen. He climbed up onto a stool at the kitchen counter, and pulled the bowl closer. JJ handed him a spoon.

"Mommy does have to go to work today, and you get to stay home with Daddy and Riley. I'm going to help Uncle Spence, Uncle Aaron, Uncle Derek, Uncle Dave, Aunt Emily and Aunt Penny," said JJ, making toast for herself.

"But Daddy's going to have to play with Riley. Who will play with me?" Lamented Henry. Day three, and he was finally becoming sick of the new baby that had invaded his perfect life. JJ took a seat next to him.

"What if I ask Jamie to come over and play?" Said JJ. Henry nodded vigorously at the thought of his best friend coming over, then started digging into his cereal. JJ glanced up at the clock, and realised she was running seriously late.

"You behave for Daddy, okay?" She asked. Henry nodded, and JJ kissed him. The next five minutes consisted of her throwing on clothes and writing a note for Will before dashing out the door. Her mind was going in a thousand directions as she headed to the BAU office; it was the day they all had to come back in, to start profiling Liam's accomplice. She wondered how Spencer had fared the past few days; she'd had no concerning phonecalls, and assumed he was okay.

She was proved wrong as soon as she walked inside the bullpen. Emily was asleep on her desk, Rossi had the door to his office closed and blinds drawn, and Reid was sitting on his desk chair, twitching nervously. The three of them had clearly had little sleep. Hotch was closeted in his office, and Morgan was asleep on the floor under his desk. JJ could only hazard a guess at where Garcia was. Emily snapped awake like she'd been shocked, and glanced around at the team.

"What's going on?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.

"I only just got here; I'm hoping to get a little bit of paperwork done before Hotch calls a briefing at ten," said JJ. She was about to head up to her office when she heard a shriek from Garcia's office. Reid shot under the desk, Rossi exploded out of his office, and Morgan hit his head on the desk in his haste to get out.

"No! No no no no no!" Exclaimed Garcia's voice. Morgan sprinted to Garcia's office, flinging open the door. Rossi and Hotch weren't far behind him, leaving JJ and Emily in the office.

"Baby doll? What's going on?" Asked Morgan. Every screen in her office was black; a screen of death.

"This! This is what happened!" She shrieked. A message appeared on the screen.

_**Can you save her before it's too late?**_

It scrolled continuously, and Morgan pondered it's meaning.

"Who are we meant to be saving?" He asked. Hotch shrugged his shoulders.

"We'll find out soon enough. We always do," replied Hotch. Garcia turned to Morgan.

"You don't think it has anything to do with the phonecall, do you?" She asked.

"Garcia? What phonecall?" Asked Rossi.

"I got a call at 3am. All he said was 'say goodbye.' Then he hung up. It was bizarre," said Penelope, shaking her head.

"Document this, and we'll deal with it later," said Rossi.

"We've got a briefing in five minutes," reminded Hotch.

"Well, I'm pretty useless; none of my babies work," lamented Garcia.

"It's alright. You can come to the briefing. We're not going to be looking at anything gory or bloody, we're just tossing idea's around about who Liam's accomplice could be. You in?" Asked Morgan.

"Sure. I can't do anything else at the moment." Garcia followed them out of her office and up to the round table room. Reid and JJ were already inside, Reid in a corner where he could see the entire room, and JJ was busy writing notes on the whiteboard.

"Where's Prentiss?" Asked Hotch, glancing around to make sure he hadn't missed her.

"Bathroom. She'll be back in a minute," said JJ, distracted.

"We'll wait for her," decided Hotch. Rossi, Garcia, Morgan and Hotch each took a seat at the table, and after a few moments, Reid crept over, taking a seat next to Garcia.

"How are you doing?" She asked quietly.

"I've stopped throwing up every time I get stressed. I'm still not sleeping though. The nightmares are too real," said Reid wistfully.

"It takes time Reid, and you'll get there. In the meantime, I'm happy to have a few Star Trek Marathons with you," said Garcia, smiling gently. Reid nodded.

"I just want this to be over," he whispered.

"When do you start seeing the therapist?" Asked Rossi.

"In a week. Emily said she'd drop me off and pick me up afterwards," said Reid. He watched as Aaron glanced towards his watch.

"It's been fifteen minutes already. Where is Prentiss?" He asked, annoyed.

"I'll go find her," volunteered JJ. She dropped her marker on the desk, and headed out to the girls bathrooms. She swung open the door.

"Emily? You in here?" She asked. She glanced around, and noticed the usually pristine white walls had blood spatter on them, signs of a struggle and a note taped to the door.

_I hope you can save her._

_Before it's too late._

JJ pulled the note off the door, and felt her knees go weak just as the power in the building went out. She made her way back to the briefing room, and looked at the agents who were sitting in the semi-darkness, a little confused.

"Emily's gone," she whispered as she fainted. Morgan was out of his seat and beside her before he realised, and caught JJ before she hit the floor.

"Put her on the couch. Rossi, can you find out what this blackout is about please?" Asked Hotch. Rossi nodded and disappeared, and Reid pressed himself against Garcia.

"Reid? What's wrong?" Asked Garcia.

"I don't like the dark," he reminded her. Garcia put an arm around him, and he flinched.

"It's alright. We're here with you," said Garcia supportively. She glanced over at the couch as JJ started to stir.

"Jayje, what did you see?" Asked Hotch.

"It's a mess in those bathrooms Hotch. She put up a fight," said JJ, handing Hotch the note. She sat shaking on the couch, a complete bundle of nerves. As Hotch turned to Garcia, the power in the building came back on, humming with life.

"Garcia, organise CSU up here now, then I want you to find any connections Liam had in Illinois," said Hotch. He knew this had to be connected somehow; he just didn't know the connection yet. Garcia scurried off, leaving Reid by himself. He felt nervous with his usual female presences; there were men in the room, and men always seemed to mean bad things to him. He knew JJ was in the room, but it didn't make anything easier for him. He could feel the panic rising in his chest, constricting his heart, making him sweat. He swallowed nervously, and as soon as Hotch and Morgan were distracted with JJ, he tried to make his escape. More accurately, he ran straight into Rossi, who instinctively grabbed Reid. Reid's panic level hit fever pitch, and he was knocked headfirst back into memories of Liam. He shook bad, so violently that Rossi wondered if he was having a seizure. Rossi steered him back into the room before Reid's legs gave out, and he headed for the floor. Rossi lowered him gently, making sure he wasn't going to accidentally injure himself. JJ saw Reid's distress and put aside her own issues, moving to the floor to help her best friend.

"Spence, it's JJ. It's not real Spence, it's okay. It's not real, you're okay."

* * *

Emily woke up in the dark, and she shivered for a moment, the cold air hitting her exposed flesh. She remembered going into the bathroom to try and wake up, and then someone hit her from behind. The door opened, and as the lights flicked on, she realised that the room she was trapped in was a basement; the same style that was used in at least half of the houses in the area. A masked figure walked in, and for a moment, Emily fought the urge to snicker at the cliche moment. Then she looked down, realised she was naked, and sobered instantly.

"Hello Emily," said a deep voice.

"Who are you?" She demanded. His hand snaked out and slapped her across the face.

"You need to show more respect Emily; that was rude. I'm not going to tell you my name; I know how it works. If you escape here, then you'll tell your team-mates, and my life will be over. Now, you _will _escape from here, just not yet," he said menacingly.

"What are you going to do to me?" Asked Emily, her voice strong. Inside, she was trembling; even moreso when the individual undid his pants and removed them.

"You, my dear, are my toy for the next forty-eight hours. After that, you'll be free to go. I think the message will be clear," he said cryptically. He advanced on her, and Emily knew there was nothing she could do. He had at least half her body weight more on him. He pulled her up and pushed her onto the bed. Before she could even prepare for it, he penetrated her, and she refused to let herself show the pain. She bit her bottom lip, drawing blood as he continued moving inside her. Her body was betraying her, enjoying the movement. She hated herself for it as her impending finish came closer, and he started to increase tempo, seaking his own finale.

"We have many more," he whispered, and as Emily's back arched in a mix of pleasure and pain, the man grunted, finding his release, and Emily wanted to cry. He didn't flag though, continuing to pound her, and he used her hips to pull her down harder. It was violent and messy, and he started to become abusive, striking her with each thrust.

"You're too good Emily," he uttered, and he pulled her down, holding her there as he finished. He pulled out, and Emily struck out a foot towards him, catching him in the thigh.

"Bitch!" He snapped, and slapped her hard. He rolled her over, and pressed his hands to his throat. He worked it long enough to have Emily on the verge of unconscious, then released. The final time he tried, Emily watched as spots appeared before her eyes, dancing with little lights, and then went black. The UnSub wasn't pleased, and promptly doused her with water to wake her up.

"You have no idea what I'm capable of," he snarled. He pulled out a syringe, and injected her with an unknown liquid. Emily felt herself relax, and knew she was in more trouble than she ever realised. Emily watched as he leaned down the side of the bed, and then pulled out a baseball bat. He struck her across the chest, and she yelped as she felt at least two ribs give way under the force. He struck again, and this time her clavicle bore the brunt, and she gasped for air. The male pushed into her again, and held the bat near her.

"You should submit, otherwise this will never end," he said, almost giggling with happiness. He slapped her as he moved, and Emily felt her body start to move with him. She refused to let herself enjoy this a second time, and as he placed both his hands on her throat, her hand curled around the bat. With all the force she could muster, she swung it at his head, knocking him out cold. He fell sideways, and Emily disentangled herself, the adrenaline pumping through her. She knew it wouldn't last long; it never did. She moved around the unconscious man, and ran for the door. As she found her way out of the rapists house, she found herself in the dark again, but for a different reason; it was night-time. Emily had lost track of time; it had felt like an hour at most, but her mind realised it was true. It had to have been at least eight hours, if not more. Emily looked for any light, and the house two doors down was still lit up. Trying to ignore the sharp bursts of pain from her groin, chest and shoulder, Emily trudged on wearily to the house, the adrenaline wearing off as quickly as it had showed up. She made her way up the stonelined path and knocked on the front door, the drugs in her system from earlier finally taking effect. As the male of the house opened the door, her body gave up the fight to stay upright, and she felt the ground rush up to meet her. The man caught her, and screamed for his wife Nadine to call 911.

"Lady? What's your name?" He asked.

"'M'ly P'ss," she tried. Her mouth was annoying uncooperative, and she tried to take a breath to steady herself, forgetting about her ribs and clavicle. The sharp burst of pain was enough to push her over the edge into unconscious, and she was out. Norm looked at the young woman, and heard footsteps behind him.

"Annie, go and get a blanket from the cupboard," he asked, not wanting his seven-year-old grand-daughter to see the mess this woman was in. Annie obeyed, and returned with the requested blanket, and Norm covered Emily with it, wanting to maintain as much of her dignity as he could.

"You go back to bed now, okay?" He said quietly.

"I had a nightmare," she whimpered.

"Go wake up Drew and sit with him. If he complains, you tell him Grandpa said he needs to sit with you, okay?" Said Norm. Nadine returned.

"Ambulance will be here in five minutes," she said softly. Norm nodded.

"Can you take Annie upstairs please? She doesn't need to see this," said Norm, still cradling Emily. Nadine took Annie's hand and walked away just as the EMT's arrived. He was about to start talking when Emily started seizing, and then all hell broke loose...

* * *

_Emily felt free._

_No suffering._

_No pain._

_Freedom._

_She felt a needle prick her skin, then an electric charge coursed through her._

_Her freedom slowly left her._

_The pain returned with a vengeance._

_And Emily Prentiss woke up in a world filled with pain._

* * *

**A/N - Well HELLO! Where did that come from? That was dark, messy, and kinda scary. Did it scare you too? There is still so much more to come, and I'm nearly finished working out the plot line - doesn't mean it will go up any faster, but hopefully there will be a little more direction than in previous chapters.**

**Please continue to tune in where you can!**

**Reviews are loved, nurtured, and given a loving home.**

**~MissShawnaAlice~**


	12. Terror

**I'm back! I hope you haven't forgotten me!**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve-Terror**

"They have Emily!" Cried Garcia, exploding out of her office.

"Who has?" Asked JJ, confused.

"EMT's picked her up five minutes ago, and they've taken her to SNVMC. They need a superior for paperwork," said Garcia. Hotch looked at his dwindling team, and then across to Rossi.

"Dave, you go. We'll work on things here," said Aaron. Dave nodded, and left, heading for the garage. He made a brief stop at his office and grabbed a notepad, pen and the keys to an SUV.

Emily was like a daughter to him, and he needed to know she was okay.

* * *

Emily was gasping like a fish out of water, the pain in her chest excruciating. She had opened her eyes, and found doctors and nurses crowding her, trying to take observations, to make sure she was okay. She knew she shouldn't feel frightened but with so many people in the room, she found it hard to breathe. One nurse noticed, and tugged on a nearby doctors sleeve. He picked up on the issue straight away.

"Right. Everyone out," he ordered. Everyone left the room, leaving Emily and a nurse. She wanted Morgan, Hotch, Rossi, anybody who could protect her from what she was feeling. As if her wishes were granted, the door opened, and Rossi stepped inside cautiously.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, the masked anger in his voice making his Italian accent thicker than usual. The nurse gave her a shot of morphine before she could answer, trying to ease some of Emily's pain.

"I'm frightened," she whispered.

"I'm here. I'll make sure no-one comes in," said Rossi softly. Her erratic breathing evened out, and she fell into an uneasy sleep. He knew she wanted the safety of someone in her room, someone she knew, and he'd prepared for the long hours ahead of waiting for her to wake up. He pulled out a notepad, and started jotting down notes for his next book. After an hour, a young female doctor came inside.

"I'm Dr. Samantha Carlisle. You must be Agent Rossi," said Sam, extending her hand towards the older man.

"Pleasure to meet you," said Rossi, shaking the hand.

"Emily should be waking up shortly, but for now, I'll give you an update," said Sam. She picked up Emily's chart and took a seat next to Rossi.

"She's been brutally assaulted; we've found three broken ribs and a broken clavicle, as well as multiple bruises. Her trachea shows several signs of strangulation, and she may have trouble talking for a while as the injury heals. She was in hypoglycaemic shock when she arrived due to an insulin overdose, but there should be no lasting effects. I can confirm she has been raped, and we've run a rape kit; I'll make sure the relevant offices receive the results. She'll need therapy to help come to terms with what has happened, and she'll need the support of family and friends," said Sam sadly. It was the part of her job she hated; telling female victims that their worst possible nightmare had come true. She looked down at Emily's chart and back at Dave, about to say more when Emily stirred. She had tears silently streaming down her face, and every breath was painful. Rossi was up and beside her bed, and noticed her glancing around skittishly.

"He's not here," said Rossi softly. Emily nodded a little, and stretched out an arm, her hand searching for his. She desperately wanted to be held in the safety of someone's arms, and it was times like these she regretted distancing herself from people and not forming relationships. Rossi took her hand in his, and using his other free hand, gently smoothed Emily's hair out of her face. The doctor handed him a tissue, and he dried Emily's eyes, treating her with the care and respect he knew Emily deserved.

"Emily, is there someone you would like here with you? I can stay if you want me, but if you're more comfortable with someone else, I'll arrange to swap with someone," said Rossi gently. Emily cast her mind about, and after a few moments, had her decision.

"Derek," she whispered. Rossi nodded.

"I'm going to leave you with Dr. Carlisle here and make a quick phonecall, okay?" Emily nodded, and Rossi stepped outside the room. He would arrange for Morgan to come over, but first, he needed to tell Hotch what was going on. He dialed the Unit Chiefs cell number.

"Hotchner," came the smart response.

"Hotch. I've got some news about Emily. I only want to say it once though; can you put me on speaker?" Asked Rossi, his voice gruff.

"Hold on," said Aaron. He moved back inside the round table room, having stepped out to answer the phone, and placed the tiny cell in the middle of the table.

"Go."

"I'm with Emily now, and she's requested Morgan's company whilst she's here. I need to tell you all though; she's not in good shape. Two broken ribs, a broken clavicle and rape on top of that means Emily is quite fragile right now. As soon as the files make it through processing, I want to know who it was that did this to her, and make him pay big time," said Rossi vehemently.

"Morgan's on his way now. Once you two have changed over, I could use your help back here on this profile," said Aaron.

"Sure, I'll be there." Rossi hung up, and entered Emily's room again. Her eyes were wide and glassy, and Rossi knew that even though the morphine was helping the physical pain, the psychological pain would take a lot longer to heal.

"Derek's on his way," said Rossi softly. Emily nodded. She wanted Derek not just because of his strength, but because he could relate to what she was feeling; he'd been in her position before, only he'd not had the support network to get him through it. She wanted Derek because he was safe, and because he'd understand exactly what was running through her head. After ten minutes of silence, the door creaked open, and Morgan stepped inside. Dr. Carlisle took her leave just after that, not wanting to crowd Emily. As soon as Morgan was in the door, Rossi was out the door, heading back to the BAU. Morgan sat next to Emily's bed, taking the hand that was on top of the covers.

"Princess, what did he do to you?" Asked Morgan softly. Emily felt the tears course down her cheeks again, and she internally berated herself for being so weak.

"What do you need?" Asked Morgan softly.

"I want to be held," she whispered, her throat aching as she spoke.

"Pretty sure I can manage that," said Morgan. He shuffled Emily across the bed a little, and laid down next to her. She pressed herself against his side, and he carefully put an arm around her. She felt safe, secure.

"It gets better," said Morgan softly. She glanced up at him.

"How?" She rasped.

"Because we'll catch the bastard and make him pay. No. It doesn't ever go away, but it gets easier. You just have to take one day at a time," said Morgan gently. He rubbed her back softly, and Emily could feel herself starting to drift off. Morgan rested his head on hers, and soon, they were both asleep.

* * *

"We have nothing," said JJ.

"How can we have nothing?" Exploded Hotch.

"We have nothing, because he's good. There isn't a fingerprint, there isn't DNA. I'm waiting on the results of the rape kit and hoping we can track him down that way, otherwise I'm at a dead end," said JJ, defeated.

"Give it time. He'll slip up," said Rossi, joining in.

"I'm going to see if I can piece together anything from the cams in the lobby," said Garcia. She gathered her files and stood up and left.

"Yes, but at what cost? How many more team members do we need to lose before we find him? At the rate we're going, the team will all have permanent beds at SNVMC, and Strauss will finally disband the BAU," replied Hotch.

"We need someone else to help out. A fresh pair of eyes," said Dave tiredly.

"Who can you suggest?" Asked Hotch. Dave shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't have all the answers Aaron. I don't know," said Dave wearily. Hotch moved to open his mouth again, but noticed Spencer's breathing hitch. He'd fallen asleep somewhere in the time when Morgan had left and Rossi had returned, and JJ was sitting next to him, stroking his hair as he slept. He whimpered a little.

"Is he okay Jayje?" Asked Hotch.

"I think it's another nightmare," she whispered. Sure enough, Spencer started to lash out in terror and fright, and JJ was too slow. His closed fist caught her square in the face, and she was lucky she didn't break her nose.

"We need to wake him up," she said urgently, holding a pristine white sleeve to her bleeding nose.

"What do you want us to do?" Asked Dave.

"He's going to hurt himself if he keeps thrashing around like that. I need you to hold him down; enough to keep him still, but not to smother." Rossi and Hotch steppedto either end of Reid; Rossi held his shoulders down, Hotch held Reid's legs. JJ leaned over Reid.

"Spencer. Spence, you've got to wake up," she urged. Spencer's movements slowed, and then his eyes snapped open. They were filled with terror as he realised he was being pinned to the lounge. He started to struggle, and JJ laid a gentle hand on him.

"Spence, stop," she asked wearily. Her face was aching, and she could feel her nose swelling.

"Jayje? What happened?" Asked Spencer weakly.

"You were having a nightmare again, and we couldn't wake you up this time," said Hotch.

"Did... did I break your nose?" Asked Spencer. JJ shook her head.

"You didn't break it; it's just bleeding. It'll be fine," said JJ. A knock sounded at the door, and Spencer flinched. A younger agent stepped inside, and handed Hotch a letter. He opened it with trembling hands.

She was only saved by her own initiative.

The next one won't be so lucky.

I want this to end, as do you.

I want Spencer Reid.

I don't care what it takes to get him, but at the rate we're going, you'll have no team left when I'm finished, and I'll still get Spencer.

I will call at 4pm to make arrangements.

Dex.

Hotch looked up at JJ and Rossi.

"We have a problem."

* * *

Emily woke up just as her nightmare had started to take hold, and she fought Morgan's arm being around her, still thinking it was the stranger that had raped her. He woke up as she pounded his chest, trying to free herself. He released her quickly, and she shot upright, tears streaming down her face.

"Hey hey, Emily, it's alright," reassured Morgan gently.

"I...I was back there... and he was doing it again, and I couldn't breathe..." Emily held a hand to her chest, feeling her heart racing in her chest. Morgan gently wrapped his arms around her, and she sunk into his chest, ignoring the pain it caused, just wanting to feel safe.

"I've been here, and I'll make sure you're safe. It's not going to happen again," said Morgan softly. He leaned against the pillows, and Emily snuggled into him again.

"I want to help catch this guy," said Emily softly.

"For now, you need to focus on getting your strength back. I'm not going anywhere; if Hotch needs me that badly, he can call me or bring the briefing to me," said Morgan defiantly.

"The bed was new. The sheets were at least; they still had the fold marks in them, like when you first open the packaging," said Emily, the memory coming to her as she ran her hand along the hospital grade sheets.

"Em, you don't need to do this," reminded Morgan.

"He was skinny. Skinny enough to make me wonder how he managed to take me down. He was strong too..." Emily started to shake as the memories washed over her. Morgan clutched her close.

"He told me I was too good. He wanted me to submit," said Emily. She buried her face against Derek's chest as the tears started to flow.

"Princess, you don't need to worry about him. We'll get him," assured Morgan.

"I want to go. I want to get back to work," she whispered.

"You've only been here for a few hours Emily. You need to stay here at least twenty-four hours for monitoring," said Derek softly.

"I don't want to."

"Do you want me to call Hotch and have him say the same thing?" Asked Derek.

"I'll leave AMA if I have to. I don't want to stay," said Emily stubbornly. Morgan sighed.

"If you're leaving, then you're coming to the BAU, and you can stay at my place or Garcia's place. Okay?" Asked Morgan. Emily nodded.

"I'll go find a nurse and get you out of here." Morgan climbed off Emily's bed, and headed out the door. As he walked down the corridor, his phone started ringing. He pulled it out and answered it quickly.

"Morgan speaking."

"Derek, have you heard from Spencer?" Asked JJ.

"No. He was with you guys. What happened?" Asked Derek, stopping in the middle of the hall.

"We got a note, and now Spence has disappeared."

* * *

He knew he shouldn't have left.

But he couldn't risk anybody else on the team.

His family; each and every one of them was so important to him, that the thought of any of them in pain, or losing one of them was too much to bear.

His hands were tied.

His ankles bound.

Eyes blindfolded.

He knew he was in trouble.

He just didn't know how much yet.

"Hello little brother."

* * *

I am so sorry! I'm sure you guys think I've fallen off the earth here, but I guarantee, I haven't! Real life has just been a little bit more busy than I thought it would be,, so my apologies. Things will be stepping up shortly, and the team will be pushed to their limits to find Spencer.

Please stay tuned, and don't forget to review!

~MissShawnaAlice~


	13. What Doesn't Kill You

_A/N - So you guys probably think I have forgotten you. Well, I haven't, and I'm still here. I do miss your reviews, so keep them coming please!  
I know I said I didn't think Kevin would be in this, but I never liked him, so now I've got my chance to mess with him!_

_Hope you enjoy - Please PM me if I missed something crucial (occasionally I do:/)_

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen - What Doesn't Kill You**

"All we have is a name! There's nothing else to go on Hotch, nothing else to help find him! I want to find him just as much as you do, but there's just nothing more my babies can do," snapped Garcia. Hotch stepped away from her, running his hands over his face,

"Dex. Who the hell are you?" Garcia tapped away frantically at her keyboard, desperately hoping her babies wouldn't disappoint. When one alarm went off, she snapped around. Three more went off in succession, and Garcia stared at the monitors, eyes wide.

"Oh God. No, not that." Hotch leaned in.

"Not what Garcia?" Asked Hotch. Garcia pointed to the name on the birth certificate she had found. Hotch gasped inwardly, then strode out of Penelope's office.

"Rossi!"

* * *

Dex sat in front of Spencer, straddling a chair.

"I've waited so long to meet you little brother," he started, smiling at Spencer.

"How?" Whispered Spencer.

"You didn't know about me? I'm hardly surprised. You didn't know about the other family before William Reid met Diana, did you? Well, we were the perfect family first. My mother Amelia met William when she was seventeen, and Dexter Reid was born two days after her eighteenth birthday. When I was three, William changed jobs, and only came home on weekends. Mom didn't mind; she had a genius child to look after. I was already being offered places to schools; everybody was a child with a photographic memory, and an IQ of 171. By the time I was six, I was already in fourth grade, having finished first, second and third the year before. I had an active mind, and was excelling at what I did. I was an almost unheard of phenomenon. That was, until William Reid dropped a bombshell on Amelia and myself."

"Diana and I," whispered Reid.

"Nailed it. That's right, William came home when I was eight, and he and Amelia had an argument. Your name was dropped in the conversation, and all of a sudden, I wasn't the cool kid anymore. I was last weeks old bread, stale and useless. Apparently, an eidetic memory, the ability to read 20,000 words a minute and an IQ of 187 is much more intriguing in the experiment," said Dex. He got up and started pacing the room.

"Experiment?" Queried Spencer.

"Ah. You never found out, did you?" Asked Dex. Spencer shook his head, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"Found out what?"

"William Reid was a participant in a gene experiment; you and I were direct results of that experiment. They've been trying to genetically engineer a super human, with incredible intelligence. It's a part of a..." Dex started laughing hysterically, and Spencer was taken aback.

"What is it?" Asked Spencer nervously.

"Your face! You believed me. You _believed _me!" He practically fell over his knees laughing. In moments, his mood changed from hysterics to anger, and he started taking it out on Spencer.

"William loved you more than he loved me!"

_Another blow to the face._

"Amelia and I were never good enough."

_He had a crowbar now._

"And after he left you and Diana, he went to Italy."

_He felt his recently healed ribs crack again, and the pain seared through him. He struggled to breathe._

"There's another Reid child. After I'm finished with you, I'm going to kill her. William will have to love us now."

_Dex lost it at Spencer, throwing punches where he could, breaking ribs, bones, bruising flesh._

"And I raped that Emily Prentiss bitch of yours. Hopefully she'll be able to carry on the Reid tradition of deserting your kids. Maybe she'll abort it like the last time she was pregnant," hissed Dex. Spencer couldn't speak, his mouth filled with blood.

"And your team won't find you until it's too late. You'll be dead," sneered Dex. He walked over to the table near the door, and picked up a syringe off the table. It was full, and Spencer shook with fear.

"This is insulin. It's a new formula, engineered by a scientist in Germany. As well as dropping your blood sugar levels to almost nothing, it causes severe pain, seizures, and if I'm really lucky, it'll stop your heart. Either way, it'll reduce you to a gibbering mess, and your team will lose you." Dex crossed over to Spencer, and held his arm still. Spencer struggled to no avail, and Dex plunged the needle into Spencer's arm.

_Two seconds later, the door exploded inwards._

_Twenty-nine seconds later, a gunshot was heard._

_Thirty seconds later, Dex was on the floor, a bullet through the heart._

_Ninety seconds later, Dave and Aaron were untying Spencer as he started seizing._

* * *

"Oh God, please tell me they found him," prayed Garcia. She'd figured it out once she'd cross-referenced the name Dex against people who'd moved or traveled from Illinois, and only one name had popped up.

_Dexter Reid._

She didn't know how she missed it before, but once she knew his name, she knew everything about Dexter Reid.

Like how he and Spencer had the same father.

That Dex had been in and out of a juvenile detention centre once William Reid had left Dexter's mother, and he'd slowly spiraled until he was out of control. He was released when he turned eighteen, and had promptly disappeared off the grid. Garcia found him again when he was pulled over for speeding when he was twenty-six, and she tracked his life after that.

He'd been implicated in several missing persons cases; those people had later been found murdered by Liam.

Then she found the connection, and she was shaking so badly, in need of some support, that she called Morgan. He'd urged her to call Hotch, and if he could get away from Emily, he would be there as soon as he possibly could.

_He was Noah's fiance._

As soon as Hotch caught on to what was going on, he had LEO's heading out with both himelf and Rossi.

Now she was left to wait.

* * *

The hospital ride was a harrowing trip. Hotch had decided to travel with Spencer, and Rossi would head back to the BAU to fill in Garcia and JJ. Five minutes away from the hospital, Spencer's heart gave up the fight to keep him alive, and his body slumped against the gurney.

"Not on my watch," muttered the EMT. She administered a drug into his veins, and started pumping his chest. Her colleague grabbed the defibrillator, and soon they were fighting to save Spencer. When they arrived at the hospital, a team of doctors pushed Hotch out of the way and rushed Spencer into a resuscitation bay.

_For the first time in years, Aaron Hotchner prayed._

Morgan found Aaron four hours later, still in a small waiting room, head over his clasped hands, and for a brief moment, Derek feared the worst.

"Hotch?" He asked softly.

"He's still in emergency. They're trying to restart his heart. I haven't heard anything," said Hotch bluntly.

"Oh God. I am so sorry I couldn't be there, but Em..." Hotch raised a hand to silence Morgan.

"Morgan, it's okay. I understand. I wouldn't have wanted you there anyway. It wasn't a pretty sight," said Hotch. A young doctor walked into the room, her face tired.

"Family of Spencer Reid?" She asked. Hotch and Morgan stepped forward. She ignored the fact that neither man looked like they were related to Spencer, and plowed into her report.

"He's sustained severe injuries to his chest and face, as well as a punctured lung. He already had one broken wrist, and to add to that he also has five broken ribs, a fractured cheekbone, the other wrist has been dislocated, both his ankles and wrists are friction burnt from the rope used to tie him, and he's heavily bruised. We managed to restart his heart, and he woke up for a few minutes, and was able to tell us about the insulin used in his system. We're trying to stabilise him now. Right now, that's the best news I can give you," she said wearily.

"When can we see him?" Asked Hotch.

"At the moment, he's not allowed visitors. I'll tell you when he is, but for now, go and get some rest. We've got him here," said the doctor. Hotch nodded and moved back.

"Listen, I've got to update Emily on what's going on," said Morgan, not really wanting to leave Hotch by himself.

"You do that. I'll get Rossi to come and pick me up," said Hotch.

"He'll be ok, right?" Asked Morgan.

"You didn't see him Derek. He's a mess; if he pulls through this I'll buy him his own security team to make sure this doesn't happen again. Maybe Reid was never meant for the FBI," said Hotch.

"Don't say that! Without Reid, we wouldn't have figured out half the stuff we've needed for cases, and we wouldn't have the success rate we do have! He _was_ meant for us Hotch, and he's damn good at his job. Don't take that away from him," said Morgan forcefully. Hotch sighed, rubbing his temples as he felt a blinding headache starting.

"I'm not saying we will. It was just a thought," snapped Aaron. He got up and walked away, infuriated with himself for even entertaining the idea of terminating Spencer's employment at the bureau. He knew then it was time for him to leave, and he headed down and out of the hospital. Dave was waiting for him patiently, and Hotch climbed into the SUV without a word. Dave pulled out of the hospital carpark and headed back towards the bureau.

"Is he going to be okay?" Asked Dave. Hotch sighed.

"I don't know."

* * *

"It does _not _take you that long to get home!" Exclaimed Kevin.

"I'm sorry, but it's been a long day. I haven't even checked on Emily or Reid..." With a growl his hand snapped out and slapped Penelope across the face.

"I don't want to hear about _Reid_," he drawled. Tears stung her eyes as she raised a hand to feel her warm cheek.

"I'm sorry Kevin," she whispered.

"And you haven't lost the weight I wanted you to lose either. I like a girl with curves, but not that many," snapped Kevin. He pushed her back against the wall, and hit her as hard as he could. She was winded, and he pushed her to the floor.

"Worthless," he spat. He disappeared out of the bedroom, and Penelope pulled her knees to her chest, finally allowing the tears to fall. This was the fourth week Kevin had started to be abusive; at first it was mainly verbal, perhaps a slap on the cheek. It slowly progressed until she was being battered black and blue nearly every night. She wanted to tell Morgan, or Hotch, or even Rossi; unfortunately, the chance had been snatched away when Reid had disappeared in Illinois. She stayed at the office the entire time, avoiding Kevin, and if she knew him the way she thought she did, what happened moments earlier was only a taster. He'd come back for more.

He always did.

And tonight was no exception.

"Penny!" He roared. She winced as she heard his drunken voice carry up the stairs. She scrambled to her feet, ready to fit if necessary. He staggered into the bedroom, empty beer bottle in hand. As he stepped towards her, she ducked around him and headed out the door. He gave chase, and Penelope could hear him gaining on her. She turned the corner to go down the stairs, and Kevin tripped her up. She tumbled and fell, feeling every step as it collided with her body. She hit the last step with her face, and blacked out for a moment. The next thing she knew, Kevin was standing over her, and she flashed back to when Battle shot her. She tried to steady her breathing, but felt it hitch in panic. Kevin noticed, and gave her a final kick in the ribs.

"Stupid bitch." He left, slamming the front door, and Penelope felt the blood slowly trickle down her face. She started to sob, the movement shaking her bruised and broken body. She gently tried to push herself up, and felt a soft scream escape her lips. Her wrist was broken, clearly evident in the way it bent. She managed to extract her phone from her pocket, amazed that it was still intact. She scrolled through her contacts.

_Call Hotch._ She couldn't call Hotch; he'd be with Jack.

_Call Morgan._ He was out of the question; he was with Emily, which also knocked Prentiss out of the running.

_Call Reid._ He was not an option.

_Call JJ. _She had Will, Henry and Riley to look after, and Garcia couldn't pull her favourite girl away from her family.

That left Rossi, and to be honest, he wasn't very high on Penelope's list. She wasn't a fan of the idea. She pulled herself up clumsily, and resolved to sleep on the couch rather than bother anyone. She walked over to the lounge shakily, and groaned as her ribs shifted. She sat down carefully, pain spiking all over her body. She leaned back, and fell into restless sleep...

* * *

Reid awoke to a roiling stomach, the nausea overpowering, and he threw up over the bed. He felt weak and shaky, and his head as pounding. A young nurse came in and quietly cleaned him up.

"How are you feeling?" She asked softly. His response was to throw up again, only this time the nurse was quicker. She thrust a basin under his chin, and laid a gentle hand on his back to try and soothe him.

"Your blood sugar levels are still a little haywire, and once they balance out, the doctor thinks you should feel better. He'll be in sometime in the morning to check on you and see how you're going. For now, is there someone I can get for you?" Asked the nurse.

"Ah. Um, I think one of my colleagues is in the hospital somewhere, most likely with a patient by the name of Emily Prentiss," said Reid, drifting off again.

The next time Reid opened his eyes, Hotch was with him, and a doctor he hadn't seen yet.

"I'm Dr. Michael Montgomery. So Spencer, how are you doing this morning? Alicia tells me it was a bit of a rough night," said the doctor.

"I'm tired," said Spencer wearily.

"Your blood sugar levels aren't ideal, but they are balancing out. We're still doing testing, and once we've got your levels balanced, we'd like to do a fasting test, to determine if you could be hypoglycaemic, or perhaps diabetic. We're not entirely sure of the after effects of the insulin drug you were administered. For the moment, you're stuck here. You are welcome to a few extra visitors if you'd like, otherwise, I'll see you in a few days." The doctor left, leaving Aaron with Spencer.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Asked Aaron.

"I need Garcia to look into something for me," said Spencer softly.

"What? Why?" Asked Aaron, confused.

"Because Dexter mentioned something about my father going to Italy, and that there was another child out there. If anyone can find them, it'll be Garcia," said Spencer.

"I'll give her a call. Emily's going home today; she'll stay with Derek for a few weeks. When you're out, you can stay with me or Rossi," said Aaron. He pulled out his cell, and dialed Garcia. After a few moments, he pulled the phone away from his ear.

"It rang out. It never rings out," commented Aaron.

"Something's wrong," said Spencer. He pushed himself up.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Asked Hotch.

"I need to know she's okay," said Spencer, watching as the room spun around him.

"You can stay right here, and I'll go check on her. Even if I have to get Morgan to come break down her door for me," said Aaron. Spencer lay back against the bed.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. She's probably out with Kevin or something. It'll be something explained," said Aaron. He left Spencer and headed out to the SUV, dialing Morgan as he walked.

"Yo Hotch, what's up?" Asked Derek.

"You heard from Garcia?" Asked Aaron.

"Not since yesterday. She's probably at home with Kevin," replied Derek. He left a sleeping Emily in the bedroom, and pulled the door partially closed.

"I'd say that too, but Garcia always answers her phone," replied Hotch. He sped towards Kevin and Garcia's place.

"Well, I'll leave Jayje here and I'll head around there now. She's only a block away," said Morgan.

"JJ's at your place?" Asked Aaron, surprised.

"Emily wanted a shower, and she's not exactly open to me helping, so I called JJ. I'll meet you at Penelope's." Derek hung up, and grabbed JJ as she walked past.

"Can you hang here for a few minutes extra?" He asked.

"Sure, no problem. Will's looking after Henry and Riley today, so I'll be fine here for a little while. Everything okay?" Asked JJ. She didn't miss the fact that Morgan picked up his gun and holster, strapping it around his waist.

"Yeah, just got to grab a few things. I'll be back in twenty," said Derek. He left JJ in the living room and headed out the door. He jogged the short distance to Kevin and Penelope's, and met Hotch at the door.

"What happens if we interrupt something?" Asked Morgan.

"We tell her we called, and then we apologise for interrupting. It can't be worse than Rossi's story," said Aaron. He raised a hand and knocked on Penny's front door.

"Baby Girl, open up for us," called Morgan. Aaron tried the door, and found it swung open easily. Morgan felt his hackles raise, and the fear in the pit of his stomach start to grow.

"She hasn't left her door unlocked since Battle. She locks everything; won't even leave a window open," said Derek. He pulled out his gun, and Aaron pulled out his. Morgan took point, entering the residence first. He noticed the darkened blood on the stairs, the bloodied hand prints on the wall.

"What the hell happened?" Asked Morgan.

"I have no idea, but I'm glad we're here at the moment. Clear downstairs first," said Hotch. They crept through the house.

"Kitchen's clear!" Called Morgan.

"Backyard and laundry are clear," replied Aaron. Derek walked into the loungeroom and found a sight he wished he could unsee.

"Hotch!" He yelled. He crouched in front of the lounge that Penelope was slumped on, and gasped as he took inventory of her injury. Hotch came running into the loungeroom and skidded to a halt.

"I'll call 911." Hotch left Morgan with Penelope, and Derek stroked her hair out of her face.

"Sugar, you gotta wake up," he whispered. The bruising was slowly starting to come out all over her body, and her breath was hitching every time she took a breath. Derek shifted her slightly, allowing her lungs to expand a little more. He noticed her swollen wrist, her face covered in blood, the handprint on her face. She stirred a little.

"I'm sorry Kevin," she apologised weakly.

"Dollface, it's Derek, not Kevin," soothed Morgan.

"Please, no more," she whispered. Derek could feel his heart breaking in two at the words Penelope uttered, and he wished he could cradle her in his arms and take away the pain. Unfortunately, he didn't know what her injuries were like, and he didn't want to risk moving her and causing her any undue pain. Kevin had done that enough. An EMT muscled her way into the door, laden with gear. A second paramedic followed, along with a third.

"What have we got?" Asked the female paramedic.

"Penelope Garcia. I'm not sure of the specifics of what happened, but we found her like this about fifteen minutes ago," said Derek. The EMT nodded.

"We'll take her to SNVMC. I want a c-collar, IV fluids, and a spinal board. We need to get her out of her. Charlie, brace that wrist. CJ, you get the IV line in and going. Let's move!" Ordered the tiny yet formidable EMT. Derek caught a glance at her name tag; Liv.

"We need out of here. Let's go!" In seconds, the three EMT's had her loaded into the ambulance and were speeding away, lights and sirens blazing. Aaron watched them leave, and returned to Derek in the living room. He watched as Derek tried to stand, and then his knees fell under him.

"Derek!" Exclaimed Aaron. He caught the other agent before he hit the floor.

"I suspected for weeks that something was going on, and I didn't do anything to help her. She told me she was fine," said Derek softly.

"And we all thought the same thing, but without proof, we couldn't do anything. Right now, we can do something for her," said Aaron. He helped Derek to his feet.

"What's happening to us? Are we losing touch?" Asked Morgan.

"What do you mean?" Asked Aaron.

"Look at us. A crazy bitch stole semen from a clinic and impregnated herself with Rossi's baby, a psychopath and _relative_ tried to kill Spencer and raped Emily, and now an FBI technical analyst has abused another FBI analyst. The only ones that are still standing are you, myself and JJ. How much longer before something happens to us?" Asked Derek.

"I don't know, but right now, we need to go to the hospital. Spencer woke up as I left you, and he wants an update on Penelope. Go back to your place, update JJ and Emily, and knowing those two, I'll see you all at the hospital. I've already called Rossi, and he's going straight there. You've got to hold onto the fact that Penelope is strong, and we're all standing with her. We can survive this," assured Aaron. Morgan headed to the door, and turned back to look at Aaron, his eyes wounded.

"Can we?"

* * *

Spencer was itching to find out what was going on, but he knew he couldn't escape confines of the hospital bed. He was only left alone for a few minutes before Emily and JJ appeared.

"What's going on?" He asked nervously. JJ winced, and glanced at Emily.

"Garc... Penelope has been abused."

"By Kevin," added JJ.

"Oh God. Is she okay?" Asked Spencer.

"They brought her straight here, and Morgan said she was pretty out of it. She was apologising for something, and Morgan couldn't work out what. Right now, he and Hotch are waiting for news, and Rossi's talking to LEO's and putting out a warrant for Kevin's arrest. I don't know anything else yet, just that Derek's blaming himself for all of this," said Emily.

"Of course he would. He blames himself for what happened to you and to me, and there was nothing he could do," said Spencer. He leaned back against the pillows, the sweat beading on his forehead.

"Spence? Are you okay?" Asked JJ.

"The nurse missed her rounds today, something about there being a shortage. I haven't had my blood sugar level checked yet," Reid slurred a little.

"I'll stay with him if you want to go find someone," suggested Emily. JJ nodded and dashed out of the door. Emily took Spencer's hand in hers, and noticed he was trembling like a leaf. He closed his eyes, and Emily felt his hand lose grip. He started shaking violently, and Emily cried out for help as she tried to stabilise her best friend. JJ came running in with a nurse.

"Oh God," the female nurse whispered. A superior nurse walked in and took control of the situation.

"Georgie, get the glucose injection kit. You, help me roll him on his side," ordered the matronly woman. JJ complied as the young nurse returned with the requested kit. THe older woman put together the injection, and drove it straight into Spencer's thigh. After injecting the glucose into him, she pulled the needle back out, and packed the used articles up.

"Georgie, I want you to stay here and observe Spencer; in fifteen minutes, I want you to start the regular hypoglycaemic protocol. We'll discuss this later," said the older woman. Georgie nodded, and leaned against the wall, observing.

"How could you not check on him?" Asked JJ.

"He's not listed as a diabetic patient," said Georgie defensively.

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't check on your patients regularly," replied Emily. All three women turned around as Hotch knocked on the door. He poked his head into the room, taking in what was happening. He said the three words that they all wanted to hear.

"Penelope is awake."


End file.
